As the 2026 FIFA World Cup prepares to start across host nations Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, the nation’s capital will play no official role in the tournament, a void that local soccer fans say is a missed opportunity for the city.
The City of Ottawa confirmed it will not stage any official World Cup programming during the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19. Canada plays its first World Cup game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto.
“I can confirm that any World Cup-related events will not be organized by the City, but rather by local organizations and businesses,” a city spokesperson told Capital Current.
The only official World Cup activity to reach Ottawa was a single-day stop on May 24, when Prime Minister Mark Carney attended an event highlighting the FIFA World Cup 2026 program and the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, sponsored by Coca-Cola, visited the city. No future dates are planned.
In a statement to Capital Current, FIFA said any other World Cup-related events held in Ottawa would not be planned by the organization.
Ottawa was not among the 16 host cities selected across the three countries. In Canada, only Toronto and Vancouver will stage matches, and both host cities will also organize official FIFA Fan Festivals, free public viewing sites where fans can watch games and participate in tournament activities.
For Adil Ziani-bey, who grew up watching soccer in an Algerian household — where football is the national sport — the absence of official activity stings.
“It’s quite disappointing. We are the capital city of a country that is currently in the World Cup, so you would kind of expect there to be a little bit more of a demonstration of national pride,” he said. “How is the sport going to grow in Canada, just in Ottawa in general?”
He added: “Ottawa was never part of the question or the conversation.”
Ziani-bey called it a “missed opportunity,” arguing the tournament could have enhanced the city’s profile and its benefited its economy.
“The World Cup is kind of seen as a way … to boost tourism, is to boost visitors,” he said. “However, with the efforts Canada has been doing, or even, I guess, the city of Ottawa, it’s going to show that the investment that was being made to host the World Cup is going to go for nothing.”
Ziani-bey said even modest spending — such as upgrading the local stadium or replacing turf with grass — could have positioned Ottawa to host matches and reap longer-term rewards.
‘This would have been a chance to be able to display our city on a global stage.’
— Adil Ziani-bey, Ottawa soccer fan
“This would have been a chance to be able to display our city on a global stage,” he added, saying the payoff would be seen “five to 10 years down the line, where, because our name is more well known, we will have more people coming into Ottawa, generating more revenue for the long term.”
Maimonah Al-Dulaimi, who became a dedicated fan two to three years ago after years of watching soccer with her family, echoed the frustration.
“It’s really disappointing because we’re one of the nations that’s hosting it this year,” she said. “As the nation’s capital, the fact we don’t have anything for the biggest sporting event of the world is really disappointing.”
She said the tournament represented a rare chance to bring the city together.
“It’s really sad that there’s nothing for soccer, because . . . it’s like the most well-loved sport in all the world, and I know that there are so many fans here that would love something like that can bring us all together as a community,” she said.
“This is a sport that unites a lot of people from different backgrounds, from different status,” she added. “Doesn’t matter how much money you have, anyone can play it, because it’s such an affordable sport.”
Ottawa’s lack of official programming contrasts with plans in Washington, D.C., a national capital that’s also a non-host city. The U.S. capital will have an official FIFA fan zone despite not staging any tournament matches.
With no official programming planned, responsibility for World Cup celebrations in Ottawa falls largely to local organizations and businesses.
Restaurants, bars and pubs across the city have already announced match screenings throughout the next month.
Atlético Ottawa, the city’s franchise in the professional Canadian Premier League, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the World Cup prior to publication. Ottawa Rapid FC, the city’s pro women’s club in the Northern Super League, also didn’t respond.
Editor’s note: This story was updated June 9 to remove an incorrect reference to the ownership of Atlético Ottawa.
