As Canada gets ready to welcome the world as co-host of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the Government of Canada continues to work with partners to support a safe, welcoming and successful tournament that creates lasting benefits for communities across the country.
Yesterday, ahead of World Football Day, the Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport) and Canada's FIFA Sherpa, participated in a series of engagements in New York to highlight Canada's role as co-host; advance collaboration with international partners; and promote the social, economic and diplomatic opportunities that hosting the tournament will bring to Canada.
At the United Nations, Secretary of State van Koeverden joined representatives from Mexico and the United States, as well as from Morocco, Portugal and Spain, hosts of the next FIFA World Cup, for a World Football Day event that brought together members of the diplomatic community and leaders in sport. The event highlighted football's ability to bring people together across borders and cultures, and underscored the role of sport in advancing dialogue, inclusion, youth engagement and international cooperation.
As part of a trilateral engagement, Secretary of State van Koeverden joined Gabriela Cuevas, Mexico's Representative to the FIFA World Cup, and Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House FIFA Task Force, to discuss shared priorities for the final lead-up to the tournament. Their discussion focused on coordination, preparedness and the legacy of this first-of-its-kind trilateral partnership, one that reaches beyond soccer and reflects the strength of collaboration between Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The Secretary of State also met with local tournament organizers in New York on event delivery and regional coordination. In addition, he exchanged perspectives with representatives from Qatar, the most recent host of the FIFA World Cup, on legacy and the role of sport in supporting international engagement.
Major international sport events can create lasting legacies, strengthen global partnerships and serve as platforms for diplomacy beyond the field of play. Through these engagements, Canada continues to advance a partnership-based approach to hosting, one that supports a successful tournament while helping create opportunities for communities, businesses across the country and international collaboration long after the final whistle.
