Mike Smyth: No soccer for you! Inside the government’s fight with FIFA

The opportunity to host World Cup soccer games was a dream scenario for Vancouver fans who hoped “the beautiful game” would visit our beautiful city in 2026.
But when B.C. Place officials sat down to analyze the contract terms demanded by FIFA — the corruption-plagued world governing body for soccer — the dream turned into a financial nightmare.
Now I can tell you some inside details of the proposed deal, which unravelled last week after the B.C. government demanded clari