The entrance to FIFA’s World Cup 2026 office in Toronto with a display of match balls from FIFA World Cups dating back to the 1970 men’s tournament is shown on Dec. 9, 2024.Neil Davidson/The Canadian Press
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will contribute up to $3.8-billion in “positive economic output” for Canada as a host country, according to a FIFA economic-impact assessment.
That amount is split between Canadian gross domestic product, labour income and government revenue with GDP ($2-billion) and labour income ($1.3-billion) getting the biggest chunk. The assessment also foresees “the creation and preservation” of 24,100 jobs across the country over the period from June of 2023 to August of 2026.
Economic effects were measured and reported in terms of economic output, GDP, labour income, employment and government revenue, according to the assessment.
The estimates were calculated based on data provided by FIFA World Cup 26 and the Canadian host-city committee. They were supplemented by projected or sourced data provided by Deloitte Canada economists.
“You can think of economic output as sales,” said Jeff Harris, founder and leader of Deloitte Canada’s Sport Business Advisory Practice. “That’s the total value of goods and services that are produced and purchased within the time frame.”
Consider the GDP number as income, Harris added.
The assessment says for every Canadian dollar spent on tournament preparations or by visitors attending the competition, it’s estimated the event will contribute $1.09 to GDP. That translates on average to $155-million to GDP – and generating or sustaining 1,850 jobs nationally – for each of the 13 matches to be staged in Canada
The expanded 48-team, 104-match World Cup is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico. Vancouver and Toronto are Canada’s host cities with 11 others in the U.S. and three in Mexico.
The assessment estimates tournament expenditure – in the form of capital, operational and visitor spending – will total $1.9-billion from June of 2023 to August of 2026.
The economic assessment says preparing for and hosting the tournament could contribute $1.7-billion in positive economic output in B.C., which is hosting seven matches. That includes boosts to GDP ($980-million), labour income ($610-million) and government revenue ($120-million), as well as the “creation and preservation of” more than 13,700 jobs over the time period under analysis.
In Ontario, where Toronto is playing host to six games, the assessment sees $1.3-billion in positive economic output – GDP ($700-million), labour income ($460-million) and government revenue ($100-million). The job figure is more than 8,700.
The assessment cites possible positive economic output of $940-million for the Greater Toronto Area and $1.3-billion for the Metro Vancouver Area.
“Off the pitch, this is so much more than a sporting event,” FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani, a Vancouver native and former Canada Soccer president, said in a statement. “It’s the biggest sports and entertainment event in history and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase our nation on the global stage.”
On the other side of the ledger, cost of staging the tournament has gone up.
In April, Vancouver organizers put the estimated cost of playing host to their portion of the event at between $483-million and $581-million, including costs for the city, the province and stadium upgrades. But the B.C. government said the event is expected to generate enough revenue to result in a net cost of between $100-million and $145-million.
In February, the City of Toronto estimated operations and capital costs to be incurred locally in Toronto to be approximately $380-million. The federal government has pledged $104.34-million to the city while Ontario has agreed to pitch in up to $97-million.
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