If it secures one of the host city spots available for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, Edmonton is keen to deliver an event experience that extends beyond football and showcases the city’s energy, lifestyle, culture and numerous attractions.
The capital of Alberta has become known as Canada’s ‘Festival City’, bursting with creative talent and innovation. Advocates of Edmonton believe it is not only an inspirational place to live, but also one of the most welcoming places on Earth.
Over 50 annual festivals means there is no shortage of excitement for visitors, who will also be able to experience the glory of the northern lights from local dark sky preserves or cruise through North America’s largest stretch of urban parkland.
Football fans travelling from across the globe can therefore expect a warm welcome if they land in this northern metropolis in just under five years’ time.
“For a month in 2026, Edmonton will be electric, crackling with the shared love we have for the Beautiful Game,” says Maggie Davison, interim chief executive at Explore Edmonton. “People of all different perspectives, backgrounds and ages, will come together to celebrate soccer’s greatest achievements at the Fifa World Cup 2026.
“Over 34 days, the energy coursing through the city will spark spontaneous community activities. Neighbours will connect with neighbours, teams will challenge teams, and the people here warmly welcome visitors to this very special place.”
Commitment
The Edmonton Events partnership between the City of Edmonton and Explore Edmonton allows Edmonton to tap into support from both organisations. Designed to take the city to the next level, the Edmonton Events’ Major Sport and Cultural Attraction Plan was created in 2018 and approved by Edmonton’s City Council, demonstrating a commitment to attracting and hosting successful events.
The City of Edmonton side of the Edmonton Events partnership brings with it the expertise of the organisation’s Civic Events team, which serves as the main point of contact for all civic services needed to host an event in the city, providing a seamless approach to event delivery by working collaboratively and in a coordinated fashion with all civic services.
With one expert Civic Events Liaison assigned to each event, rights-holders and local organising committees have a dedicated point of contact to work with on civic services such as bylaws, environmental impact assessments, fire, police, transit, and even finding the right event location.
Explore Edmonton has also collaborated with Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels Ltd., Oilers Entertainment Group, TRAXX Transportation services and other major venues in our city to certify Edmonton as the first and only Canadian destination to obtain the GBAC STAR health and safety accreditation.
One of the most important commitments Edmonton has made to its internal sustainability unit at Explore Edmonton is to have a qualified Emissions Specialist on staff to provide expert support to events that are interested in tracking and reducing event specific emissions.
There is also a recognition that sustainability requires a tailored event approach, with the expert helping event organisers to make the right connections for them in the community and ultimately help design a comprehensive sustainability plan from the outset.
Passion for football
Sport is at the heart of Edmonton’s culture. The city has professional teams in ice hockey, football, soccer, basketball and now baseball, and five of the Edmonton’s major post-secondary institutions have their own sports programmes.
Facilities-wise, ICE District, in the heart of downtown, is a 25-acre sports and entertainment hub with condos, retail space, a public plaza, a five-star hotel and the state-of-the-art Rogers Place arena, where the Edmonton Oilers play NHL games in front of 18,000 passionate fans.
There is also a baseball stadium in the middle of the city’s river valley, and the Edmonton Expo Centre, which hosts Canada’s largest indoor volleyball tournament, comprising more than 60 courts. Hawrelak Park will host the World Triathlon Championship Finals this August, and a Redbull Crashed Ice course has been built down the side of the river valley.
But football in particular has a special connection to the City. Having been frequently cited as a key catalyst in the growth of women’s football in Canada – the nation team is currently ranked eighth in world – the city now wants to use its experience in hosting and developing soccer to play a pivotal role in the continued development of the men’s game.
“Edmonton has a rich history in hosting successful FIFA events,” says Maggie Davison. “The 2002 Fifa U19 Women’s World Championship, the 2007 Fifa U-20 World Cup, 2014 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup, and the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup were all hosted right here in Edmonton – and Canada Soccer even considers us as the birthplace of women’s soccer in our country.”
The city’s Commonwealth Stadium, the largest open-air stadium in Canada with almost 60,000 seats, is a proven venue for international football matches, and has attracted world record attendances for women’s and youth soccer. Fifa can be sure that matches held in Edmonton in 2026 would similarly capture the enthusiasm of Edmontonians.
Celebration
Edmonton is not a city where sports events come and go, and are quickly forgotten.
“This event won’t just be five games in our city; it will be a month-long celebration that will invite thousands of visitors into our community so they can experience first-hand what it is that we as Edmontionians love about this city,” said Janelle Janis, director of Edmonton Events.
“What I’m most excited about and what drives me every day to keep working on this bid is that it’s so much more than just a soccer tournament. Newcomers to Canada, marginalised groups, young girls and boys, adults and master’s players – soccer is one of the most inclusive sports people can play and there is room for everyone to be a part of the beautiful game, but they need to have access to it.
“If Edmonton hosts the FIFA world cup in 2026, it will be done with purpose. A purpose to build tangible legacy plans that support incredible programs like Free Play, that engage thousands of young people across our city to be more active, to feel more connected and to give kids a chance to play who might not otherwise get to. If we host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, it won’t be about building fancy new stadiums, it will be about helping that five-year-old who just wants to play soccer.”
Edmonton has projected that the anticipated economic impact on the region would be $475m, if the city hosts a month-long Fifa Fan Fest and four matches. Fans may come for the football, but with a vibrant city centre and 17 hours of sunlight during the summer months, it is anticipated that they will find plenty of other things to do during their time in the city.