Montreal will no longer be hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Following the decision by the Quebec government to pull financial support for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Montreal has officially withdrawn its candidacy from the selection process.

According to a statement by Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx, the projected cost of the event more than doubled from the original estimate of $50-million to $103-million, and the provincial government’s priority remains to support Quebecers through economic recovery from the pandemic.

“We would have been happy and ready to support the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in Montreal, but the high cost of the event was becoming difficult for us to justify to Quebec taxpayers.
“We continue to support the City of Montreal, in particular through investments specifically dedicated to tourism revival and by staying on the lookout for major events that will be win-wins for all parties.”
–Caroline Proulx

Canada will also be hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Mexico, who collectively have 22 candidate cities in the running. Currently, the only Canadian cities being considered in the selection process are Toronto and Edmonton.

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

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