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Planning is underway to bring the biggest international soccer tournament to Richmond.
On Nov. 8, Richmond city council will discuss a newly developed $600,000 event campaign for the FIFA World Cup of 2026. The “New Campaign Option” will be pitched against two other options at the next general purposes committee (GPC) meeting.
These two other options, known as “Option 2: Small-Scale Campaign” and “Option 3: Medium-Scale Campaign,” were chosen out of five different campaign options discussed on Sept. 3 at a previous GPC meeting.
The “New Campaign Option” falls within these two options, having a total budget of $600,000 and an expected engagement of over 25,000 Richmond residents across the six-week campaign.
Five levels of events are included in the campaign and will be delivered along with community partners.
Firstly, the “World Soccer Day” kick-off event will be held on June 12, 2026, to start the campaign along with School District No. 38. The event will cater to a youth audience and will feature soccer and FIFA-themed activities connecting learning and sports.
Richmondites will also be able to attend the public viewing of two matches, which will include Team Canada’s opening match in the group stage. Based on similar events in the past, the city estimates an attendance of between 700 and 1,000 for this day.
Secondly, “Community Events” will consist of working with community partners to host events across the city for significant matches.
Each of these events will have its own theme and will ensure programming matches respectively. According to the staff report, events could include screenings of up to six matches from the group stage, rounds of 32 and 16, and the semi-finals.
The city is expecting an attendance between 500 to 1,500 per event — this could vary.
Thirdly, the “Soccer and Cultural Celebration” event will celebrate the World Cup’s grand final on Sunday, July 19, and put an end to the campaign.
The event will feature community-led activities, live performances, food trucks, art installations and a public viewing of the final in a central location. This day is expected to draw the highest volume of attendees, between 5,000 to 7,500.
Additionally, “Match Viewings” will also be held in common areas of city facilities during hours of operation, when possible. The atmosphere is expected to be enhanced with soccer-themed decorations. Between 100 to 500 viewers per match are estimated across city facilities.
Also related to viewings, the “Richmond Kicks Grant Program” will offer funding to those who host their own events aligned with the World Cup.
The first stream of funding will be at the neighbourhood level, where Richmond based-individuals and groups can apply for up to $500 to host their own watch parties.
The second stream will be at the community level, where Richmond non-profit groups will be able to apply for funding of up to $2,000 to host World Cup celebrations or match-viewing events.
“On designated dates, applicants can request funding and access to an event kit to host a Weekend Block Party in their neighbourhood,” reads the report. Event kits may include anything from soccer equipment to large screens and tents.
The budget of $600,000 for the “New Campaign Option” does not include specialized event staff resources. It is made up of a $400,000 contribution from the Richmond Tourism Community and $200,000 from the city.
This budget is significantly higher than “Option 2: Small-Scale Campaign,” which has a total budget of $200,000. However, it is cheaper than “Option 3: Medium-Scale Campaign,” with a budget of $700,000.
Vancouver is expected to host a total of seven matches for the FIFA World Cup in 2026 at BC Place. The biggest international soccer championship takes place every four years, with its next edition being held between June 11 and July 19 of 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
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