The report says Canada could face a projected cost of around US$1 billion, while stands to collect much of the biggest financial upside. That is a familiar warning for host nations. Staging football can create attention. Turning that attention into durable value is harder.
For Canada, the real test is whether the 2026 World Cup build-up can leave behind assets that keep producing revenue after the final whistle:
The report says the biggest gains would depend on cooperation between groups that often protect their own ground. That rings true in football. Federations, leagues, clubs, youth systems and broadcasters often chase separate goals, even when the market is still growing.
The proposals reportedly include:
That is less glamorous than transfer talk, but probably more important. Football economies grow fastest when the pathway from grassroots to screen to stadium is connected.
The wider context matters here. If football is now being grouped with AI, energy, industry and training in national economic discussions, that is a sign the sport is being viewed as infrastructure as much as entertainment. Sponsorship, production, tourism, coaching, venue management and community development all sit inside that ecosystem.
The next thing to watch is whether Canada can turn that idea into policy before the trade climate tightens further - and before the runway to 2026 gets too short for meaningful change.