FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s visit to Vancouver for the FIFA annual congress ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as per FIFA’s official schedule, has been overshadowed by a denied security request. Vancouver police rejected a bid for a level-four motorcade escort, a high-security protocol typically reserved for dignitaries like the Pope or the U.S. President and involving extensive road closures, according to multiple media reports. A police spokesperson, speaking on background, confirmed that the escort would have had significant cost implications for city taxpayers, and stressed that such measures are not automatically granted to visiting officials; further reasons for the rejection were not disclosed.
The mayor's office stated that transportation arrangements for Infantino will be appropriate, measured, and consistent with how Vancouver hosts major international events, though it declined to offer specifics. Infantino is in Vancouver to attend the FIFA congress, a pivotal gathering for planning the 2026 tournament, which Canada is co-hosting with the United States and Mexico. This is not the first time Infantino’s motorcade request has been denied; during the 2023 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, police there similarly turned down a comparable request. New Zealand authorities cited the need to prioritize public safety resources and noted that such escorts are not routine for sports officials, according to media reports from that time.
These repeated rejections underscore the financial pressures that often come with hosting FIFA events. The Athletic has reported that security costs for the World Cup in Vancouver alone are estimated at approximately $438 million (£325 million), a staggering sum that has prompted concerns about the burden on taxpayers. Adding to the uncertainty, a document obtained by The Athletic on April 10 revealed that only 40,934 tickets had been sold for the United States versus Paraguay Group Stage match at BC Place, a fixture meant to showcase elite soccer. The modest ticket sales highlight the challenge organizers face in balancing robust security measures with commercial success, raising broader questions about the tournament’s overall viability in the host city.
Meanwhile, Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, has renewed calls for FIFA to scrap its peace prize after it was controversially awarded to former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a series of media appearances, Klaveness said the decision to honor Trump was a grave misstep that erodes FIFA’s credibility and conflicts with the prize’s intended message of peace and diplomacy. She argued that the award has become a liability for the organization, and that abolishing it entirely would be the only way to prevent further reputational harm. Klaveness’s criticism adds to a growing chorus of voices questioning FIFA’s governance decisions ahead of the 2026 World Cup.