With Toronto and Vancouver’s World Cup matches now over, we’re stuck not only with a hangover, but also a billion-dollar bar tab.

Before we get into that, there’s one thing about the World Cup I found kind of interesting.

Vancouver Police Chief Constable Steve Rai gave his motorcycle squad a shoutout on X for working “tirelessly” during the tournament moving teams, officials and VIPs around the city.

Nothing turns heads quite like a police motorcade. It’s gotta be the most impressive way of getting around a city.

A Vancouver Police Department (VPD) spokesperson told The Level they normally conduct six motorcade escorts throughout the year. About one every two months.

During FIFA, the VPD traffic unit completed 312 separate escorts over 28 days. That’s more than 10 motorcades every day.

The police get criticized a lot, but I’ll give credit where credit is due. That’s a lot of motorcades.

Which brings us to today’s feature story. Motorcades are just one of the many costs that cities take on when they host FIFA. Now that it’s over, we can’t help but ask: was it worth it?

Maxwell Shepherd’s breakdown is below, along with our usual poll.

Enjoy your weekend,

-Neil

Hosting the World Cup wasn’t cheap, but the anticipated payoff goes far beyond a spreadsheet.

Packed stadiums, national celebrations and Canada’s first-ever World Cup win gave soccer a rare place at the centre of Canadian life. If the tournament inspires young players, grows the fan base and leaves behind a stronger national team culture, the legacy could last long after the final whistle.

Taxpayers are stuck with a massive bill for a tournament many fans couldn’t afford to attend.

With hosting costs above $1 billion, hotel numbers underwhelming and business gains uneven, critics say the World Cup delivered memories without enough lasting value.

If governments put that kind of money toward hospitals, housing and infrastructure, Canadians could have gotten more than sold-out stadiums and good vibes.