Still a Chance for Vancouver 2026?

[ted]

"Now in 2022, Horgan says FIFA World Cup organizers have softened on some of their demands and requirements and now the promise has gone from only two games to possibly three, four or five."

https://www.cheknews.ca/horgan-says-b-c-still-exploring-options-to-host-games-during-2026-fifa-world-cup-951434/

[InBorjanWeTrust]

It's a bit late there Horgan....

[SthMelbRed]

1 minute ago, InBorjanWeTrust said:

It's a bit late there Horgan....

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that John Horgan has access to the people who actually know whether it's too late, or not. If he's aware of changing requirements, it's likely that there have been conversations. Whether it comes to anything, or not, though, is anyone's guess.

[theaub]

“My concerns in 2018 was did we have the capacity, and now in 2022, it’s how many people can we get,” Horgan stated.

Says it all right there lol

e: also very curious how they would get to five games unless another host city drops out.  Three is logical.  If they put in the work to be the best stadium and get the fourth then good for them.  Vancouver should be a host city.

Edited February 7, 2022 by theaub

[Watchmen]

Just now, SthMelbRed said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that John Horgan has access to the people who actually know whether it's too late, or not. If he's aware of changing requirements, it's likely that there have been conversations. Whether it comes to anything, or not, though, is anyone's guess.

Maybe. But also, if might be Horgan looking at how well the current team is doing, finally realizing what 2026 could mean for the city, and frantically trying to save face.

[SthMelbRed]

Just now, Watchmen said:

Maybe. But also, if might be Horgan looking at how well the current team is doing, finally realizing what 2026 could mean for the city, and frantically trying to save face.

He is a politician, after all. However, if he'd made a call and was told in no uncertain terms to go fuck himself, I doubt he'd be making public statements. There must be at least a sliver of a chance for him to go on the radio and suggest that it might happen.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

If the Jamaica game goes to Vancouver, I think this would be the reason.  Pack BC Place for a big moment to get everyone on board.  

If you remember, the November Edmonton games were used for the FIFA inspection team.

[SthMelbRed]

7 minutes ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

If the Jamaica game goes to Vancouver, I think this would be the reason.  Pack BC Place for a big moment to get everyone on board.  

If you remember, the November Edmonton games were used for the FIFA inspection team.

It was only 6 years ago that BC Place hosted a FIFA World Cup final. I have a hard time thinking that the venue would somehow fail a FIFA inspection. The only questions would be around grass installation, I guess. Might be a box ticking exercise, though.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

20 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

It was only 6 years ago that BC Place hosted a FIFA World Cup final. I have a hard time thinking that the venue would somehow fail a FIFA inspection. The only questions would be around grass installation, I guess. Might be a box ticking exercise, though.

Of course it's a box ticking exercise.  Larger point is they needed to show the venue to the delegates and shore up political support locally.

I'm certain the CSA wants Vancouver back in (and I'm sure Vic does as well).  The Jamaica game could seal the deal.  The festival atmosphere of a 50K sellout celebrating the first qualification since 86 would make it untenable for the government not to move mountains to get the World Cup. 

[Approve My Account Pls]

It does seem a little in bad faith that they only now want back on board. I would rather they do get to host, but if they're told to shove it, they kind of deserve it.

[EJsens1]

7 minutes ago, Approve My Account Pls said:

It does seem a little in bad faith that they only now want back on board. I would rather they do get to host, but if they're told to shove it, they kind of deserve it.

I think they should host it. I get what you’re saying, but it is a world class city and only having 2 cities represent this country seems insufficient.  Not to mention, it helps in terms of not utilizing two fields in such a short time frame taking such a beating to the pitch 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Relevant part

 

[Watchmen]

9 minutes ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

Relevant part

 

Comes off incredibly ignorant. "We have Bob Lenarduzzi working on it". You mean the guy removed from the Whitecaps head office because he's under investigation? The "synergies with Portland and Seattle" were always there. And the city was always going to host at least 3 games - the CSA was unlikely to ever push for more than 3 host cities. 

Edit: I'm not saying Vancouver might not still be in the running, just that this didn't convince me at all that Horgan actually knows what he's talking about and this seems much more like desperation to get back in after he completely tanked the bid before.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Watchmen

[Cheeta]

13 minutes ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

Relevant part

 

LOL. 

OK, pal.  If you say so.

It's amazing how much your perception changes when things just keep moving along with, or more importantly, without you.

Hope they pull it off.  As it stands Vancouver is on the outside looking in.  See if they have can do what they need to to get back in the mix.  Kinda hard bargaining with zero leverage.

P.S.  Don't think it was mentioned but this isn't just about 3 World Cup matches.  There will be warm up matches leading into the Finals, sea trials as it were.

[Approve My Account Pls]

48 minutes ago, EJsens1 said:

I think they should host it. I get what you’re saying, but it is a world class city and only having 2 cities represent this country seems insufficient.  Not to mention, it helps in terms of not utilizing two fields in such a short time frame taking such a beating to the pitch 

100% agree, Vancouver is too nice of a city not to showcase to the world. Same goes for Montreal, but I wish they had a nicer option than the Big O and Stade Saputo is far too small

[Cblake]

1 hour ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

If the Jamaica game goes to Vancouver, I think this would be the reason.  Pack BC Place for a big moment to get everyone on board.  

If you remember, the November Edmonton games were used for the FIFA inspection team.

Or the Nations League in June , they could pack it 50k for any game and show BC Place Place. 

[Free kick]

he mentioned in that interview 3-5 games.    But the bid contract calls for Canada to have 10 games.  if its 5 games then one city of the remaining two has to be dropping out.   

The initial agreement and in the bid book had 3-3-4.  Each city getting a group and then one city getting a knock out stage match.  That was with 3 cities.   Then when there were only two cities left,  Montagliani was quote stating: that if its two cities then they can do 5-5.   

I posted that back then in the thread specific to 2026

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Free kick

[Unnamed Trialist]

There was no excuse not to give a provisional "yes" from the start and then negotiate on it. 

True, they were just in power back then and the Green support was new, fragile, and was not going to help any such WC bid. 

The  Vancouver Olympics were mostly not an NDP endevour either. 

I actually believe him when he says they've rethought it, they pretty well had to. I wonder who "helped" them, doubt it was the BCSA. 

Horgan is a soccer fan, a sports fan in general. But in Canada that rarely translates to political spending and good will for sports, just look at the immobile situation with getting a stadium in Saskatoon, in general our poor facilities. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[PunjabiOil]

Suspect Vancouver will get it if Edmonton drops out.  As of right now, there has been no public commitment from the Government of Alberta so could see Vancouver being a contingency plan.

Not sure if these discussions are a way of putting pressure on the Government of Alberta to publicly make a fund commitment

By March or April, FIFA intends to announce the selected cities.  They have a process to follow so, can't see them re-opening these discussions this late in the game unless there is a last minute dropout.

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by PunjabiOil

[footballfreak]

The attempted reframing of the BC government as the bad guys in all this is a bit much. FIFA wanted what was effectively a blank check and Horgan told them, rightly imo, to shove it when they wouldn’t provide any kind of cost certainties. Just because other jurisdictions decided to bend the knee  doesn’t make it a good fiscal decision for Toronto/Los Angeles/etc.

I’m born and raised my entire life in BC. I desperately want to see us host games, but only if it makes sense for BC taxpayers. 

[LeoH037]

5 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

If the Jamaica game goes to Vancouver, I think this would be the reason.  Pack BC Place for a big moment to get everyone on board.  

If you remember, the November Edmonton games were used for the FIFA inspection team.

sandwiched between 2 trips to central America... it's not going to Vancouver. Vancouver gets a few CNL games likely.

[Watchmen]

39 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

The attempted reframing of the BC government as the bad guys in all this is a bit much. FIFA wanted what was effectively a blank check and Horgan told them, rightly imo, to shove it when they wouldn’t provide any kind of cost certainties. Just because other jurisdictions decided to bend the knee  doesn’t make it a good fiscal decision for Toronto/Los Angeles/etc.

I’m born and raised my entire life in BC. I desperately want to see us host games, but only if it makes sense for BC taxpayers. 

Thing is, even Horgan's initial framing of a "blank check from BC taxpayers" was misleading. A number of the issues he was outraged about would be at the federal level and out of his jurisdiction. You can still quibble with them, but once the federal government had decided to move ahead it didn't matter. And as for some of the other costs he was outraged about, they could be renegotiated later. Furlong came out after this and talked about how the Vancouver Olympic committee agreed to quite a few things they renegotiated after being awarded the deal, because that's how this works - get the deal and then renegotiate, because FIFA wasn't going to pull out of the city after awarding it.

And that's really the crux of it - the NDP completely failed to understand how this type of bid works. As Unnamed Trialist said, it cost you nothing (well, little) to stay in the bid and see how things went. If they hadn't screwed it up at the start they'd be well on their way to being awarded it now, instead of desperately trying to get back in at the last minute.  But, Horgan wanted the big political show of standing up to FIFA and now it's cost him.

[Dre_03]

4 hours ago, Approve My Account Pls said:

100% agree, Vancouver is too nice of a city not to showcase to the world. Same goes for Montreal, but I wish they had a nicer option than the Big O and Stade Saputo is far too small

It should have been our 3 MLS cities, for various reasons including putting our best foot forward and showcasing Canada to the world, etc but 2 of the 3 dropped out citing whatever reasons that compelled them to do so. Edmonton would've likely been on the outside looking in IF Montreal and Vancouver had stepped up at the time that was needed. Edmonton raised its hand and jumped through the hoops so I can't see them dropping now. Not sure if Horgan has a credible source to feel Vancouver has a legit chance back in at this stage or is just political posturing. Would be unjust to pull the rug out from Edmonton at this point but time will tell if Vancouver is welcomed back or not and at who's expense. Toronto and Edmonton would potentially be losing 2 or 3 games each if that's the case.

[footballfreak]

19 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Thing is, even Horgan's initial framing of a "blank check from BC taxpayers" was misleading. A number of the issues he was outraged about would be at the federal level and out of his jurisdiction. You can still quibble with them, but once the federal government had decided to move ahead it didn't matter. And as for some of the other costs he was outraged about, they could be renegotiated later. Furlong came out after this and talked about how the Vancouver Olympic committee agreed to quite a few things they renegotiated after being awarded the deal, because that's how this works - get the deal and then renegotiate, because FIFA wasn't going to pull out of the city after awarding it.

And that's really the crux of it - the NDP completely failed to understand how this type of bid works. As Unnamed Trialist said, it cost you nothing (well, little) to stay in the bid and see how things went. If they hadn't screwed it up at the start they'd be well on their way to being awarded it now, instead of desperately trying to get back in at the last minute.  But, Horgan wanted the big political show of standing up to FIFA and now it's cost him.

I think you’re misrepresenting how much leverage Vancouver has - particularly in a bid process where FIFA is able to play an unprecedented number of major cities off against each other to get the best deal. The reality is signing on as a candidate with the intent of strong arming FIFA after the fact would have inevitably lead to FIFA dumping Vancouver for one of the dozens of other North American candidate cities willing to play ball. That just ends up making Horgan look even worse than drawing a line in the sand early.

[Watchmen]

46 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

I think you’re misrepresenting how much leverage Vancouver has - particularly in a bid process where FIFA is able to play an unprecedented number of major cities off against each other to get the best deal. The reality is signing on as a candidate with the intent of strong arming FIFA after the fact would have inevitably lead to FIFA dumping Vancouver for one of the dozens of other North American candidate cities willing to play ball. That just ends up making Horgan look even worse than drawing a line in the sand early.

Once awarded as a host city, how often do the Olympics or FIFA revoke the awarding? Plans change constantly, and some of the requests would have been tossed or modified. We can still argue on whether or not the bid is a good idea (and certainly there's lots of people who oppose it), but I really do think Horgan failed to understand how that type of bidding works.