FIFA boss claims Canadian politicians ‘don’t get it’ in plea to save Vancouver Whitecaps

Victor Montagliani believes the onus is on local politicians to save the Vancouver Whitecaps from relocation -Credit:Eva Marie Uzcategui - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images The future of the Vancouver Whitecaps appears to be on a knife-edge, with the club’s lease of its home of 15 years, BC Place, to come to an end following the 2026 MLS season. With the club having been for sale since 2024, and a recent statement from the Whitecaps indicating that there is no clear end in sight to its ownership or stadium dilemmas, with “no viable offer” having come from the “more than 100 parties” it has spoken to, the team appeared to concede that its future may lie elsewhere. This was mirrored by a spokesperson for the MLS who recently told ESPN , “We remain focused on supporting the club in identifying a sustainable long-term solution, and our preference is to find a path that allows the Whitecaps to continue to grow and succeed in Vancouver.

World Cup final tickets start at staggering $10,000 as resale fan prices exposed New Jersey Governor calls out FIFA over eye-watering World Cup train fares The Whitecaps' lease of BC Place will come to a close after the 2026 MLS season -Credit:Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images “At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure the long-term health of the league and its clubs, and we will evaluate all options, including interest that has been expressed in the club from other markets and investor groups. ” Clearly infuriated with the handling of the situation surrounding the Whitecaps, FIFA vice president and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani told The Athletic that local politicians should shoulder much of the blame for the current uncertainty, and that it's far beyond time to act. “The frustrating part for me is the fans get it, our soccer community gets it.

But what I’m hoping now, with this alarm bell that’s gone off, is that our politicians wake up to it,” he said. “It is the biggest community asset we have. And the other (Vancouver-based) professional clubs are the same, they’ve been around forever — the (BC) Lions and the (Vancouver) Canucks.

“So, it’s very frustrating that leaders, mainly political leaders, don’t get it. They don’t get the equity of these clubs. And the virtue signaling of saying, ‘Oh, taxpayer money.