World Cup
Vancouver hosts FIFA congress with expanded World Cup under scrutiny
FIFA’s member associations meet in Vancouver on Thursday for their annual congress, a usually routine gathering that carries greater weight this year with the 2026 World Cup less than two months away and several questions still hanging over the first 48-team edition of the tournament.
The biggest World Cup in history will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
One of the clearest concerns is cost.
The sheer scale of staging a tournament across North America, with long-haul travel, differing tax regimes and significant operational demands, has prompted unease among some participating nations.
UEFA has passed on concerns from several European associations that teams could find it difficult to break even unless they progress deep into the competition.
FIFA, for its part, is expected to point to the unprecedented commercial strength of the tournament.
The governing body has indicated it is prepared to raise prize money and participation payments beyond already record levels, presenting the expanded World Cup as a vehicle for wider redistribution rather than simply a bigger payday for the strongest teams.
Its argument is that more nations, more matches and greater revenues will ultimately mean more money flowing into development programmes and solidarity funding across the global game.
Iran’s participation is the most politically sensitive item on FIFA’s agenda.
Iran have qualified for the World Cup, but security and travel concerns around their matches in the United States have prompted officials in Tehran to seek guarantees and request alternative venues.
FIFA has rejected any change to the schedule, saying teams are expected to play as planned.
Visa access and travel restrictions are also expected to be closely watched.
Officials from the Palestinian Football Association were recently denied entry to Canada for a pre-congress meeting, underlining the practical obstacles that can arise when sport, border policy and international politics collide.
However, Palestinian association vice president Susan Shalabi and president Jibril Rajoub have both now been granted visas and are expected to attend the congress, FIFA told Reuters on Monday.
Shalabi has already arrived in Vancouver while Rajoub is expected on Tuesday.
FIFA says it is working with host governments to help facilitate access for delegations, although the final list of attending associations will not be confirmed until the congress begins.
The wider logistics of the 2026 World Cup remain a defining theme. A tournament spread across three countries, multiple time zones and vast distances will test teams, supporters, broadcasters and organisers in ways no previous World Cup has.
Some federations have raised concerns privately, but FIFA argues that a multi-host model is essential for a 48-team event and reflects the future scale and ambition of the competition.
For Vancouver, then, the task is not only to celebrate the approach of a landmark World Cup but to smooth the final edges before the June 11 kickoff.
FIFA expects the 2026 tournament to be the largest and most lucrative in its history, with projected revenues of around $13 billion for the current cycle. The challenge now is to ensure that its expanded vision of the World Cup feels not only bigger, but workable, fair and genuinely global.
-Reuters
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FIFA should press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for this year’s World Cup, including a public guarantee from federal authorities to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on Monday.
The 2026 World Cup – the first edition of the global showpiece tournament to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the face of a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation drive pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Rights groups have condemned the crackdown, saying it has led to violations of free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for minorities. Trump casts his actions as necessary to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.
“FIFA needs to act urgently to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans, and workers,” HRW said. “One concrete thing it should do is work to persuade the Trump administration to establish an ‘ICE Truce’…
“Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) and his FIFA colleagues should use their leverage to demand that the Trump administration do what’s right for the games,” it added.
“Roll back discriminatory travel bans, refrain from abusive immigration enforcement operations in and around World Cup venues, protect children’s rights and commit to uphold freedom of assembly and speech.”
OLYMPIC TRUCE
The idea is drawn from the “Olympic Truce,” a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, when warring city states paused hostilities so athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games.
“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Reuters.
“This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners.
“President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history – and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that.”
Concerns intensified on Thursday when advocacy groups issued a travel advisory warning that visitors travelling to the U.S. for the World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
Fans, players, journalists and other visitors may face racial profiling, searches of electronic devices, or risk of cruel or inhuman treatment if they end up in immigration detention facilities, according to the advisory.
Thursday’s warnings followed a March statement from Amnesty International that the tournament is drifting far from the “safe, free and inclusive” event promised by FIFA.
HRW also said it had written to Infantino requesting details about the nominees, judges, terms of reference and selection process for FIFA’s inaugural peace prize.
Trump was awarded the prize in December for what world soccer’s global governing body said were his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in trouble hotspots around the world.
“By concocting this award, Infantino risks turning the 2026 FIFA World Cup… into yet another sportswashing event in a world that already has far too many,” HRW added.
Reuters has contacted FIFA and ICE for comment.
-Reuters
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FIFA is in discussions with national associations to increase prize money for all 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, soccer’s global governing body said on Sunday.
The proposal must be approved at Tuesday’s FIFA Council meeting, being held ahead of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
In December, FIFA said prize money for this year’s World Cup would be 50% higher than for the previous edition at $655 million after agreeing a record $727 million financial contribution to the tournament.
However, FIFA has told Reuters that the prize money on offer is set to increase, with the world governing body projected to surpass $11 billion in revenue in the current four-year cycle from 2023 to 2026.
“FIFA can confirm it is in discussions with associations around the world to increase available revenues,” said a FIFA spokesperson.
“This includes a proposed increase of financial contributions to all qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and of development funding available to all 211 member associations.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community, and FIFA is proud to be in its strongest ever financial position to benefit the global game through its FIFA Forward programme.”
The biggest slice of FIFA’s initial funding package for the North American showpiece – $655 million – was to be performance-based payments to the 48 participating nations.
FIFA’s December announcement on prize money said the champions would take home $50 million and the runners-up $33 million, while the 16 nations that failed to advance from the initial group phase were set to earn $9 million.
Additionally, each qualified nation would be entitled to $1.5 million to cover preparation costs.
FIFA’s 2025 annual report said 93% of its total budgeted revenue had already been contracted by the end of 2025, thanks to the success of the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup held in the United States last year.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Mexico and Canada
-Reuters
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Toronto reversed course on plans to charge fans to attend its World Cup fan festival, with the city council approving a revised plan to create a free general admission option after some councillors objected that the $10 fee broke a promise.
City staff had proposed a plan last week for $10 general admission tickets for the event. The festival, which is set to include live game broadcasts, food and entertainment, was originally promoted by the city last year as a “free and inclusive space” for fans to enjoy games during the June 11-July 19 World Cup.
But after objections from some councillors, who raised concerns about affordability for residents, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow asked staff this week to revisit the ticketing idea.
City staff issued a report on Wednesday proposing that of the 20,000 general admission tickets available every day, 15,600 will be free and 500 will be reserved for community groups at no cost. There will be 3,900 premium tickets available daily that will range from $100 to $300.
In the original report last week, staff said the ticketing plan was required as a crowd control measure and to help cover costs related to an “enhanced fan experience.”
“Fan Fest should be free for general admission,” Chow told reporters this week before council voted 18-3 to create a free general admission ticket option. “We can offer VIP packages for those who want them, but the gates should be open for everyone.”
Toronto, one of 16 cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico hosting games for the 48-team World Cup, will stage six matches.
-Reuters
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