Carney, cabinet ministers score free World Cup seats as taxpayers hit with $1.07B bill
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said attending free games were 'official business'
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ostmedia News
Published Jul 14, 2026 • 2 minute read
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (right) with wife Diana Fox Carney (centre) wait for the start of the Canada versus Switzerland game during FIFA World Cup 2026 in Vancouver, BC Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (right) with wife Diana Fox Carney (centre) wait for the start of the Canada versus Switzerland game during FIFA World Cup 2026 in Vancouver, BC Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Photo by Jason Payne /PGN file
Federal cabinet ministers, political staff and even a summer intern were among federal employees who scored FIFA freebies as Canada helped host this year’s World Cup.
Ethics filings show Prime Minister Mark Carney scored himself a tournament pass along with a swag bag full of FIFA Canada perfume, a commemorative FIFA banner and soccer ball, as well as FIFA-branded scarves, keychains and coins.
Filings via the ethics commissioner also found several free tickets were provided to the office of Liberal Burlington North-Milton West MP and Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, according to reports published this week in Blacklock’s Reporter.
Other van Koeverden staffers given free passes to see Germany defeat Ivory Coast in Toronto on June 20 include his chief of staff, a pair of policy advisers, his operations director and a summer intern.
All attended the match to “support the Secretary of State for Sport in his official duties,” according to the findings.
Champagne said attending free games was ‘official business’
In the disclosures, van Koeverden said attendance at the game “provided an opportunity to celebrate Canada’s hosting experience,” and that hosting tournament matches has “already given Canadians memories we will remember for a generation.”
Ethics disclosures also show Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson scored a pair of tickets to see Algeria lose to Switzerland at B.C. Place on July 2, also reporting receiving “a gift package composed of a FIFA World Cup scarf, a FIFA delegation pin and commemorative plaque.”
A swag bag was also received by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, who on July 2 got free tickets to see Portugal narrowly beat Croatia in Toronto.
François-Philippe Champagne used his position as finance minister to justify his free passes to see Canada take a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina with this operations director, as well as the June 23 Panama versus Croatia match.
“I attended in my capacity as Minister of Finance,” read his ethics disclosure.
It cost $1.07 billion in public funding for Canada to co-host this year’s World Cup with Mexico and the United States.
Ethics filings show federal ministers and office staff accepted free World Cup passes, defending the freebies as "official business." More.
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