The World Cup may not come to Montreal in 2026 after all

When it was announced nearly three years ago that North America would be hosting the FIFA World Cup of soccer in 2026, Montreal was immediately floated as one of the cities where matches would be held. But now the Quebec government has withdrawn its pledge to support the bid with funding, revealing that the estimated costs have doubled, from $50-million to $103-million.

A government source told La Presse that the province justified this move by citing the impending cost of the relaunch of major events, such as festivals, after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement from the office of Mayor Valérie Plante last night said that this decision “endangers the Montreal candidacy — the only French-speaking city in the running to host.”

For more on Montreal and the 2026 World Cup, please visit the FIFA website.

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