I disagree. It likely would have been a lot like the Olympics - Early grumbling (and a riot), followed by a complete mental readjustment to "man, that was the best thing ever!"
Olympics yeah cause there are events everywhere/everyday plus the Olympic plaza and party atmosphere. But a single event like soccer where Vancouver might get a couple games spread over a week and not even involving Canada? I was in Dallas in 1994 and at the Cotton Bowl it was cool but a mile from it, it was as if the tournament didn't exist.
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Tax breaks for the next decade and importing foreign currency? Ok, whatever FIFA business is done in Canada that needs to be taxed, and breaks on such tax. I honestly don’t know what that would be. The ability to transfer money in and out of the country, with money laundering rules in Canada still applicable? Makes sense. Basically saying transfer of funds to and from Canada with regards to operating funds can’t be prevented or delayed. Pretty standard. Besides, those are both federal things, not specific to BC or Illinois.
Some of the other things like work visas, basically just making sure that FIFA workers who have to come for Canada in advance don’t have red tape preventing that. Again, federal issues, nothing to do with BC itself.
The security thing and anti money laundering and fraud preventions in place etc appears to be well known as part of the bid, in advance, that hosts have to handle the cost and logistics of it. That’s why the feds and provincial government were already involved.
Not on FIFA’s side here, but none of this sounds like anything new that the bidding committee and hosts didn’t realize long ago, nor standard procedure for large events with a foreign organizer. IMO just sounds like those cities making some scary strawman arguments to justify not hosting and trying to make an easy scapegoat in FIFA, when, in BC’s case, it sounds more like an administrative screw up more then a thought out, concious decision.
I’m sure for the Olympics, the IOC had pretty similar conditions for any host country with regard to security and fraud prevention and visa situations, and for that matter, any major world wide event such as G8 etc would have similar conditions to be able to stage the event without restriction on workers or funds flow.
If they don’t want to host, that’s their prerogative and choice, but it’s hardly the notion of being backed into a corner by unrealistic or unusual demands from FIFA.
Put it this way, I’m sure the exact same FIFA bid conditions were in place for the women’s World Cup for the bid process in 2010 for the 2015 event when Canada and Vancouver hosted games.
FIFA apparently also wanted to include a clause that allows them to change the terms of the bid after it's approved. I honestly have no problem with the province not doing business with those crooks.
So what are these tax breaks and unlimited forex conditions for? For officials to do money laundering? No wonder Sepp Blatter said that it is "logical" the World Cup to go to Morocco:
So the feds and CSA are scheduled to make a "major announcement", presumably that Edmonton is going to be included in the 2026 bid. But shortly after, the AB government announced they would not provide any funding.
Quote:
On Thursday, a press release went out stating that Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi and Canadian Soccer President Steven Reed will be at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium to make a major “sports announcement.” But, just an hour or so after that release went out, came news that the Alberta government would not financially support Edmonton’s quest to become a World Cup 2026 host city.
So the feds and CSA are scheduled to make a "major announcement", presumably that Edmonton is going to be included in the 2026 bid. But shortly after, the AB government announced they would not provide any funding.
Sounds like the fix is in for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The province must be preparing to provide extensive funding for that. I'd really love to see a binding province wide plebiscite regarding provincial funding for the Winter Olympics.
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Sounds like the fix is in for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The province must be preparing to provide extensive funding for that. I'd really love to see a binding province wide plebiscite regarding provincial funding for the Winter Olympics.
We definitely should have more plebiscites.When was the last one? Flouride 20 years ago?
Sweden and Switzerland having one for the 2026 Games. I heard Switzerland has direct democracy for many things, sometimes 6 or 7 times per year.
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Well lets see who to blame here. The incompetent CSA for including Edmonton in the final bid package without signoff, someone from the NDP for back tracking or someone from Edmonton for putting the city's name forward without signoff.
Vancouver didn't put the paperwork in in time in the bid package, which is why they were out. Edmonton obviously did do the paperwork for the bid package but someone didn't confirm with someone.
Despite the politics, I would be elated to see World Cup soccer in Edmonton. Besides, the soccer community seems to do better here than in Calgary by a large margin.
Despite the politics, I would be elated to see World Cup soccer in Edmonton. Besides, the soccer community seems to do better here than in Calgary by a large margin.
Not to derail this, but isn't that sort of a "build it and they will come" issue? Realistically, there is just no venue that makes sense for soccer here. I just can't help but think that if we had a 10,000 seat stadium of some sort that this city would get behind a club. McMahon is just not an option for so many reasons, and there really isn't much else. I guess Hellard field is the next closest and that is only about 2000, which isn't going to generate atmosphere or get enough people involved to have it take hold.
Despite the politics, I would be elated to see World Cup soccer in Edmonton. Besides, the soccer community seems to do better here than in Calgary by a large margin.
I would also like to see the World Cup in Edmonton. But looking outside of the big events, I don't think their soccer scene is much further ahead of Calgary's. Just like Calgary, Edmonton really is a two sport (hockey and football) city, and has yet to really embrace soccer.
Edmonton has great support for the big events like the Women's World Cup, but both cities face the same problems in supporting the local game. Outside of the NASL drama, FC Edmonton folded because they couldn't get crowds, couldn't get corporate sponsorship, and received no support from the city. I would actually argue that Calgary has better corporate support of Calgary Foothills than Edmonton ever got for FC Edmonton.
Plus, their supporters scene has been in absolute shambles for a few years, although with the loss of the club those that have remained seem to be working together now.
So the feds and CSA are scheduled to make a "major announcement", presumably that Edmonton is going to be included in the 2026 bid. But shortly after, the AB government announced they would not provide any funding.
Sounds like the fix is in for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The province must be preparing to provide extensive funding for that. I'd really love to see a binding province wide plebiscite regarding provincial funding for the Winter Olympics.
In fairness, that might have a lot to do with the fact that Edmonton blew all of their Government allocated money on a sweet new Hockey arena...
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As much as I am not a fan of Toronto in anything. Its the one place in Canada that has a real soccer atmosphere(sometimes for the wrong team!) that goes all the way back to when Varsity Stadium was the home of the national team.
I seem to remember a game i attended in 1993, Canada had a 1-0 lead on Mexico and was on its way to the world cup when it all collapsed. There must have 19k out of 20 that were rooting for Mexico.
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As much as I am not a fan of Toronto in anything. Its the one place in Canada that has a real soccer atmosphere(sometimes for the wrong team!) that goes all the way back to when Varsity Stadium was the home of the national team.
I seem to remember a game i attended in 1993, Canada had a 1-0 lead on Mexico and was on its way to the world cup when it all collapsed. There must have 19k out of 20 that were rooting for Mexico.
In the last decade Canada has enjoyed great home support in Toronto thanks to the tireless work of voyageurs and other supporters groups. It's always a great atmosphere with genuine home support. I personally attended a sold out world cup qualifier in 2008 against Jamaica, and the split in the crowd was like 70-30 In favour of Canada.
it's also because Toronto is a massive world class city with a truck load of people. Look at the ratings for TFC. Garbage. But in a Metro area of 6 million you can find 25,000 soccer fans.
Soccer has been the sport of the future since the 50s. I really don't think it's going to catch on "en masse".
As much as I am not a fan of Toronto in anything. Its the one place in Canada that has a real soccer atmosphere(sometimes for the wrong team!) that goes all the way back to when Varsity Stadium was the home of the national team.
I seem to remember a game i attended in 1993, Canada had a 1-0 lead on Mexico and was on its way to the world cup when it all collapsed. There must have 19k out of 20 that were rooting for Mexico.
19k out of 20k for Mexico?
15-19s mark
As for Edmonton, with the ASA there, but also the Itals, Scottish (at least back when) and Victoria clubs basically all strong, organized, and cuddling up to the ASA and or had former club members as part of ASA, meant the Calgary clubs were fighting uphill to be part of any ASA decisions with the Edmonton clubs basically running high level Alberta soccer, it’s not a surprise.
I would also like to see the World Cup in Edmonton. But looking outside of the big events, I don't think their soccer scene is much further ahead of Calgary's. Just like Calgary, Edmonton really is a two sport (hockey and football) city, and has yet to really embrace soccer.
Edmonton has great support for the big events like the Women's World Cup, but both cities face the same problems in supporting the local game. Outside of the NASL drama, FC Edmonton folded because they couldn't get crowds, couldn't get corporate sponsorship, and received no support from the city. I would actually argue that Calgary has better corporate support of Calgary Foothills than Edmonton ever got for FC Edmonton.
Plus, their supporters scene has been in absolute shambles for a few years, although with the loss of the club those that have remained seem to be working together now.
Half the crowd was from Calgary...not that stadiums bring anyone to a city
