Road closures, covered logos, VIP treatment: FIFA demands on Vancouver revealed

Details of the demands FIFA is making on the City of Vancouver and taxpayers in order to host the World Cup next year are finally becoming public.

After repeated claims by the mayor of Vancouver that details were impossible to share due to non-disclosure agreements, the host city agreement between FIFA and the city is now public, with taxpayers able to see the full list of demands from the international soccer association.

Independent journalist Bob Mackin fought the city for years to obtain and publish the contract, which lays out considerable details. Some are expected, while others are eyebrow-raising.

“It should not have taken an independent journalist three years worth of legal battles and court challenges to get this contract from the City of Vancouver, especially when it’s substantively identical to those (agreements) that we’ve already seen from other host cities like Seattle, like Toronto,” said Carson Binda, B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

When CTV News observed that the agreement appeared to primarily benefit the association, he agreed that it is “an incredibly unfair contract that is heavily weighted in favor of FIFA and against the taxpayers who are being left to pay the bills.”

What the document says

FIFA’s agreement with the City of Vancouver requires that businesses around BC Place stadium remove or cover up their signs and demands the city close entire roads or restrict public access – and even provide police escorts and priority traffic lanes – “upon the reasonable request of FIFA.”

Those terms are blacked out in the agreement the City of Toronto signed for its initial host city agreement. The visible clause numbering and text in both cities’ agreements are identical.

The document lays out detailed expectations about the use of logos and liability, for example, but emphasizes the first signed agreement “does not contain a complete, detailed, and final list of the obligations of the host city authority and not necessarily the final operational setup and allocation of roles and responsibilities.”

Host city “beautification” is also a requirement, with construction sites near important locations, including bus stations, the airport and BC Place specified. How, exactly, the city is expected to ”at its own expense, carry out the respective beautification measures,” is unclear.

The agreement warns that outdoor spaces “located directly adjacent to the outer stadium perimeter” will be controlled spaces that prohibit “certain commercial and other activities” on game days and the day before, and demands “advertisement and other commercial identification located within the controlled area will be removed or fully covered.”

On Friday, the City of Vancouver clarified that “no businesses will be required to close during or due to the FIFA World Cup 26,” and that city organizers will be “working with businesses to help minimize disruptions while we plan to celebrate the hosting of this event.”

A spokesperson also revealed that “the Controlled Area is outlined as a two-kilometre radius around BC Place … and a 100-metre radius around the FIFA Fan Festival at Hastings Park.”

The sections about a controlled area are redacted in Toronto’s agreement, as are FIFA’s requirements that athletes, referees and FIFA’s president and VIPs get police escorts for ground transportation. The Traffic Management Plan, requirements for extended airport operating hours, and the host city’s safety and security obligations are also blacked out of Toronto’s agreement, but visible in Vancouver’s.

VIP and VVIP treatment

FIFA also demands “preferred treatment procedures” for entry to and exit from Canada, including VIP/VVIP waiting rooms, special passport control and luggage collection for teams, referees and FIFA delegation.

Anyone accredited to attend the event, including athletes and media, will also have a free transit pass for the competition period. FIFA also demands that ticket holders for games and the FIFA Fan Zone have free transit on match days.

Ticket resellers are out of luck. The agreement states that FIFA will “further develop and manage a global brand protection program,” including “the prevention of unauthorized transfer, resale or use of tickets by third parties.”

On the plus side, FIFA requires that all bars, restaurants, and shops in the city of Vancouver are granted necessary permits to stay open late or extend their hours on match days.

FIFA also demands that the city provide office space “equipped with a sufficient number of state-of-the-art technical devices” and utilities for FIFA and Canada Soccer free of charge starting no later than May 31, 2023.

No other major sporting events are permitted within a week of the start and end of the World Cup. Other large “cultural events,” like concerts, are also not allowed on the individual days before and after game days.

The agreement also repeatedly indemnifies member associations and FIFA from any liabilities or damages in connection with the competition. Both parties agreed that the agreement is governed by the laws of Switzerland.

Finally, the city and FIFA must consult and agree on any public statements in regards to the agreement.