Canadian taxpayers will spend just under C$1.1 billion ($801 million) to host their country’s portion of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, a report said Wednesday, adding to the growing public bill across North America from the event.
Each of the 13 games to be played in Toronto and Vancouver will cost Canada’s three levels of government about C$82 million, according to the parliamentary budget officer, the government’s spending watchdog.
The federal government will spend C$473 million on the tournament while other governments will cover C$593 million, the report said.
The Canadian report is the latest addition to the tally of the tournament’s costs being borne by the public, with FIFA, football’s global governing body, seeing direct revenue from ticket sales. The Men’s World Cup is set to be played across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico and the US in June and July, with the final at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium.
