Should Canada Bid for 2026 World Cup?

[dj_patm]

Update:


"It's not only a possibility; it's something we intend to do," Montagliani said. "We have verbally told FIFA that when the bid process begins for the next available World Cup, which would be the 2026 World Cup, that the CSA will be one of the countries putting in a formal proposal.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/opinion/2012/07/canadian-soccer-association-to-bid-for-2026-world-cup.html

Well with the Euro on right now and Soccer back in the news, its time to ask the typical question.

Should Canada bid for the 2026 world cup?

Due to Russia and Qatar getting the 2018 and 2022 world cups the 2026 one will have to go to either North or South America (or outside chance of Africa) and with Argentina-Uruguay most likely wanting to go for the Centennial WC in 2030, it's almost a guarantee that 2026 goes to N. America and the US and Mexico have already hosted so Canada's odds would be pretty good.

Obviously if the interest was there (as it's rumored to be) Canada could pull it off, already having far superior infrastructure in place compared to other host nations (highways, airports, hotels etc) but would require some significant investment in Stadiums.

You need around 8-10 cities to host a world cup and 2 stadiums with around 80,000 seats. Obviously the cities would go something like this:

-Vancouver (BC place is pretty close to ready now)

-Calgary (McMahon would need to be seriously renovated or a new stadium built, which will probably happen before 2026 regardless)

-Edmonton (Renovate Commonwealth: Add a roof, improve concourse)

-Regina (New stadium in the works should be able to host)

-Winnipeg (New Stadium might be able to work if expanded)

-Toronto (Rogers Center would be ready to go, maybe just pretty it up and temporarily adjust seating, Only play group matches there and send the Blue Jays on a road trip)

-Ottawa (New CFL stadium)

-Montreal (Renovate the O, Lower the pitch and add seating?)

-Halifax (Potential new CFL stadium)

-2nd "flagship" stadium built in Toronto (Future NFL Tenant?).

All of these should meet the required 44,000 (40 + Media) capacity if expanded and the O or the new Toronto Stadium could meet the 80,000 capacity requirement for the finals.

The CFL would need to start their season later (Can't share during the WC) but might be willing if that means federal funds to improve their stadiums.

Canada has had great success with both the u-20 world cup and the womens world cup and is in Fifa's good books (unlike the US) and believe it or not the Canadian U-20 tourney was the highest attended one in history. Attendance for a World Cup would not be an issue as its the freaking WORLD CUP and it would be one of the biggest things to ever happen to this country.

Canada would need a domestic league as that is one of Fifa's requirements but an exception could be made if we gain another one or two MLS teams as Canada has a different sports dynamic then most of the world and shares most leagues with the US. This could also be done after the World Cup like it was in '94.

What do you guys think?

P.S. The Canadian national team is far better then both S. Africa and Qatar so their lack of success is a non-issue

[ExtraSlow]

No.

[black13]

YES!

About time Canada got a kick in the face to start taking soccer seriously. It can be our official summer sport when the Hockey season is over.
It's the most played game in Canada, requires minimal equipment compared to other sports, and this will give Canada much bigger worldwide appeal than Olympics or anything else really.

Pretty sad how in a country full of immigrants, our soccer team is in the position it is but this will definitely give it a boost I'm sure.

[lauphman]

Also Unlike the olympics this would give economic growth thru out Canada with whichever city hosts the games. Stadiums would pay for themselves and then right after be used as cfl stadiums for continued income. We don't need much infrastructure built, a few stadiums upgrade railways, lrts and highways.
It's a great idea just like after 94 WC in the states soccer exploded and it would happen here too.

[eblend]

Originally posted by lauphman

It's a great idea just like after 94 WC in the states soccer exploded and it would happen here too.

Did I miss something? Like a "North Korea" rocket type of explosion?

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
No.

:werd:

[CanmoreOrLess]

Good laugh, a country of 35,000,000 people of which less than 20,000 could actually name six starters on the Canadian team. Leave it to the USA for this show, might be able to do a shared cup: Van., TO, Mont., all other stadiums are just too small other than Edmonton maybe (who wants to fly all the way there from the USA?). They could hold the games at NFL stadiums and forget about Calgary, Regina, etc. as they are too small and let's remember the WC requires REAL FUCKING GRASS. Canada has so few grass venues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_in_Canada

It goes to the USA, I will take all bets.

[genesis0403]

first of all. I think if it does happen, it should never happen in Vancouver. Vancouver will just add more taxes somewhere to cover their "costs" just like they did with the winter olympics

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by CanmoreOrLess
Good laugh, a country of 35,000,000 people of which less than 20,000 could actually name six starters on the Canadian team. Leave it to the USA for this show, might be able to do a shared cup: Van., TO, Mont., all other stadiums are just too small other than Edmonton maybe (who wants to fly all the way there from the USA?). They could hold the games at NFL stadiums and forget about Calgary, Regina, etc. as they are too small and let's remember the WC requires REAL FUCKING GRASS. Canada has so few grass venues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_in_Canada

It goes to the USA, I will take all bets.

Do you mean "too small" as in stadium size or city size? Each world cup stadium needs a capacity of 44,000, not that big for even a CFL team and I would be shocked if McMahon's replacement isn't bigger regardless. City size would not be an issue either, Polokwane has a population of 300,000 and hosted matches in 2010, Cuiaba has a little over 500,000 and is hosting a match in 2014?

Plus the smaller Canadian cities still have equal or better infastructure (outside of stadiums) then a lot of the larger host cities that have hosted the games before.

The host will probably have 6 years to prepare... I don't see grass being an issue.

Yeah we currently don't have the stadiums to host, no one is arguing that we do, but if Canada were to bid and win, we'd have incentive to finally build some REAL stadiums, not the shit holes we currently have that would look out of place in a 3rd world country. It would be a big investment but it would also be a big boost to Canada as a whole both economically and culturally.

I think you're right that the US will win because I doubt Canada will actually bid as few people in the public seem to see the value in it. This country has no pride as a whole when it comes to anything but Hockey and to an extenstion, the Winter Olympics. Why aren't we willing to make an investment to host arguably the biggest sporting event in the world? Especially considering that it's something the whole country would get to take part in, and not just one city.

Thankfully I think that SOME intrest has to exist, why else would we be laying the groundwork and hosting the Womens WC, U-20's ... etc.

Oh and in case anyone thinks that renovating CFL stadiums into International Soccer Tournament standards is a streach, look at Poznan's stadium for Euro 2012.

http://www.wikistadiums.org/stadion-miejski/195

Scroll to the bottom to see how it used to look like. Trust me when I say this as a Polak, if Poland can do it. We can do it. lol.

P.S. as I said, Canada's national team is in much better shape then Qatar or S. Africa and we had no problem with attendence at any other FIFA event we hosted. It's the world cup. Host it in Antartica and you still won't see any attendence issues.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by dj_patm
Yeah we currently don't have the stadiums to host, no one is arguing that we do, but if Canada were to bid and win, we'd have incentive to finally build some REAL stadiums, not the shit holes we currently have that would look out of place in a 3rd world country. It would be a big investment but it would also be a big boost to Canada as a whole both economically and culturally.

I dispute the assertion that this would be a good move economicaly.
If it was profitable, private industry would be lining up to pay for new stadia.

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow

I dispute the assertion that this would be a good move economicaly.
If it was profitable, private industry would be lining up to pay for new stadia.

You know after reading up some articles on the issue, I'd say that there seems to be a consensus that for developed nations that would have regular use out of the stadiums after the games, the impact on the Economy is minimal. The games tended to generate a small surplus but nothing significant.

Japan took a pretty big hit as their stadiums go unused. Naturally all the stadiums in Canada would be taken over by CFL teams and those in smaller cities could be downgraded after 2026 if upkeep costs are too high (Cape Town did this with their stadium after the World Cup).

Have to understand that the investment required by each city hosting matches in a World Cup is far smaller then that of the Olympics. Especially in Canada where we don't need any real significant upgrades to anything outside of the Stadiums.

If anything this would also help speed up municipal projects that need to be done anyways (LRT improvements etc...)

[genesis0403]

I think the thing is, Canadian governments need to understand that hosting olympics means a lot of debt but can result in better economies (through many factors: immigration, business etc). Just looking at how the winter olympics went, seems like the government actually expected profit instead of debt. The government needs to understand that taxing more does not attract more businesses and immigrants which they fail to do so.

[95teetee]

Originally posted by dj_patm

City size would not be an issue either, Polokwane has a population of 300,000 and hosted matches in 2010, Cuiaba has a little over 500,000 and is hosting a match in 2014?

you're talking about two cities where most of the people actually like soccer.

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by 95teetee
you're talking about two cities where most of the people actually like soccer.

Like I said attendance would not be a problem.

a) It's a once in a life time event to see something this big in your hometown, especially in a place like Regina.

b) Tickets to group matches at the world cup are relatively cheap

c) International fans will be swarming in anyways

[dj_patm]

BOOM.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/opinion/2012/07/canadian-soccer-association-to-bid-for-2026-world-cup.html


"It's not only a possibility; it's something we intend to do," Montagliani said. "We have verbally told FIFA that when the bid process begins for the next available World Cup, which would be the 2026 World Cup, that the CSA will be one of the countries putting in a formal proposal.

[civic_stylez]

*pulls out hooligan headband*

[chkolny541]

5xLn-X8YJRg

[rage2]

Professional Soccer in Canada is about as popular as auto racing. We have a better chance of having the government build us a new racetrack than to blow money hosting a world cup. We'll *never* make any of it back, it's just a burden on taxpayers. At least the race track is cheaper.

[snoop101]

I cant see it happening. I love soccer and watch it all the time. In Germany ever time I was there it was like a religion. Most countries are like that, except for Canada. We have the same chances of hosting world cup as India has in hosting hockey world championship.

[msommers]

As much as I'd like there be to a World Cup here so I don't have to travel 12 hours to get there, it would be an insult to the international community to have a country host that can't even qualify.

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by msommers
As much as I'd like there be to a World Cup here so I don't have to travel 12 hours to get there, it would be an insult to the international community to have a country host that can't even qualify.

South Africa and Qatar called....

[lauphman]

We hosted the u-20 world cup and it was a success, and will be hosting the woman's world cup in 2015. The interest is there.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Originally posted by msommers
As much as I'd like there be to a World Cup here so I don't have to travel 12 hours to get there, it would be an insult to the international community to have a country host that can't even qualify.

Host country gets a free pass, it's been done before and will be done in the future as long as FIFA can make a dime.

[BensonTT]

NO cause soccer is boring as fuk!

[black13]

Well apparently MLS soccer league has surpassed NHL and NBA as the third most attended league in the US.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120630/sports/306300025/finding-new-favor-mls-overtakes-nhl-nba-third-most-attended-league?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7Cfrontpage%7Cp&nclick_check=1

So while that doesn't mean it's exploding but its getting popular.

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by BensonTT
NO cause soccer is boring as fuk!

What a great argument.
North Americans bashing soccer and calling it boring is always funny cobsidering some of the most popular sports here are Gridiron, baseball and nascar.

[rage2]

Originally posted by black13
Well apparently MLS soccer league has surpassed NHL and NBA as the third most attended league in the US.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120630/sports/306300025/finding-new-favor-mls-overtakes-nhl-nba-third-most-attended-league?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7Cfrontpage%7Cp&nclick_check=1

So while that doesn't mean it's exploding but its getting popular.
MLS stats are skewed. The average attendance is boosted significantly by low ticket prices, and massive stadiums for some games that holds 70k people. You look at TV coverage, every NHL game is televised, and every NBA game is televised on PPV where people pay to watch out of market games. Attendance records doesn't tell the story, and using attendance to portray MLS as more popular, or even close to the popularity of the NHL and NBA is silly.

[Markll7]

Yes cause hopefully it'll bring the hot euro bitches to party in the country.