Why Montreal Was Excluded as a Host City: Enquête Investigation

Montreal is not among the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the city’s decision to withdraw its candidacy in July 2021. The tournament, scheduled for June and July 2026, is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

The city of Montreal announced its withdrawal on July 6, 2021, stating that the decision was a result of the provincial government of Quebec withdrawing its support for the bid. Local officials indicated that the lack of funding from the province prevented the city from moving forward with the proposal.

Financial Constraints and Provincial Withdrawal

The Quebec government declined to provide financial support for the event, citing concerns over potential cost overruns. Officials from the province stated that such expenditures would have been difficult to justify to taxpayers.

In its announcement, the city of Montreal noted that it had engaged in repeated discussions with various partners to assess different options and attempt to agree on next steps before ultimately deciding to end its candidacy.

Impact on Canadian Hosting

Following Montreal’s exit from the bidding process, other Canadian cities continued their efforts to secure hosting rights. At the time of Montreal’s withdrawal, Toronto and Edmonton remained in the running to host matches for the tournament.

Canada Soccer, the national governing body for the sport, issued a statement thanking Montreal for its participation in the bid process. The organization confirmed it would continue working with municipal and provincial governments to support the remaining potential host cities in Canada.

FIFA also expressed gratitude to the city and the stakeholders involved in the effort to bring the tournament to Montreal. The governing body indicated it was working with host associations through a competitive selection process involving diverse candidates across the three host nations.

Additional Context and Investigations

Reports from Radio-Canada’s investigative program Enquête, based on thousands of obtained documents, have further examined the reasons behind Montreal’s absence from the host city list. These documents shed light on the rigid rules established by FIFA for other Canadian host cities, such as Toronto and Vancouver, and the associated costs for Canadian taxpayers.