FIFA could pick Vancouver to host the World Cup draw in 2026

The FIFA World Cup is coming to Vancouver in 2026.

The question now is, how much of it is coming?

Of the 80 matches set to take place in the expanded 48-team tournament, Canada will host just 10 of them. A report from Sportsnet 650’s Dan Riccio on Wednesday indicated that BC Place would host six matches, leaving Toronto with only four.

Vancouver soccer fans will be pleased to know that Seattle was also chosen as a host city — giving an opportunity to drive south to more matches. That I-5 road trip is something many locals will do, in addition to thousands of travelling supporters from around the world.

A real grass field will be installed at BC Place for the tournament, which is a requirement of FIFA for the men’s World Cup. That should improve Vancouver’s odds of being picked to host tune-up matches in the lead-up to the tournament.

According to various reports, Vancouver could be picked to host the FIFA World Cup draw — a high-profile event televised around the globe which takes place months before the tournament.

Back when the BC government initially bowed out of contention for the World Cup in 2018, Blake Price of the Sekeres and Price Show reported that “all indications” were that Vancouver would have been picked to host the draw — perhaps at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

More than four years later, that talk hasn’t gone away.

If you hate Vancouver for getting more games that other cities… just wait, there’s more… There has been talk that the 2026 World Cup Draw could be held in Vancouver as well.

— Tyler Green (@tylergreenFC) June 16, 2022

No coincidence Vancouver was announced first. The city will not just host six games but also play a major role ahead and throughout the tournament. Lots of talk that the city will not just have six games but also host the draw. #WorldCup2026

— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) June 16, 2022

Other things to look forward to include a FIFA Fan Festival, which will be set up in every host city during the tournament. The FIFA Fan Festival is typically a free event to attend for fans, offering a place to take in matches on large outdoor screens, as well as various forms of music and entertainment.

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