FIFA IMPACTS Conference

The FIFA Impacts Conference opens on unceded Coast Salish territory, where Tsleil‑Waututh Nation opens the day and grounds our work in place‑based principles and the deep history of First Nations soccer in British Columbia. From that foundation, the morning turns to Access to Sports. Olympic champion Catriona Le May Doan champions physical literacy, showing how a single tournament can spark a lifetime of movement and civic pride, while human rights advocate Ige Egal of Play for Dignity insists that the universal language of sport only works when safety and accountability are built in from the local level up. A powerful case study—linking Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Tsleil‑Waututh—brings these ideas to life, demonstrating how cross‑cultural collaboration can expand opportunity while honouring Indigenous knowledge. Maurice Ouderland brings his past World Cup knowledge to Vancouver addressing the economic impact of sports that benefits communities.

In the afternoon, the focus shifts to Communities and Impacts. FIFPRO Secretary General Alex Phillips lays out a bold vision for the social contract with FIFA—arguing for smarter governance and a remission fund that channels wealth back to the players and grassroots communities who sustain the game. Jennifer Li of Dignity 2026 then moderates a sharp critique of Human Rights Plans—Strategy vs. Reality in Host Cities, exposing the gaps between FIFA’s written commitments and on‑the‑ground implementation. A dynamic panel of leaders including Kumsa Baker of the Toronto Community Benefits Network, plus guests from Atlanta, New York, and Miami follows, sharing how host cities are rewriting the rules for mega‑events: securing fair labour, immigration protections, and lasting infrastructure that neighborhoods actually need. Finally, participants move into Working Together on Key Policy Areas—housing, public health, civil liberties, youth employment, and more—to forge concrete recommendations from the conference presentations and discussions.The participation of university researchers from ten Vancouver area university departments support facilitationthat will shape the conference's final Impact Manifesto.

This is not a passive gathering. It is a call to action for everyone determined to ensure that the beautiful game leaves behind a legacy of justice, dignity, and lasting community benefit.housing stability, and human rights that outlasts any single event.

Info: Placebased principles and frameworks

Info: Key Talking Points: How a soccer tournament can spark a broader interest in all sports and the importance of "Physical Literacy"—ensuring kids have the basic skills and confidence to move.
Perspective: The Power of Local Play. Hear from Ms. Le May Doan on why local sport is the ultimate engine for civic pride and community grit. She’ll share how investing in everyday recreation creates social glue to build neighborhood resiliency and connection after the games are over.

Info: Hear from Ige Egal on why the universal language of sport only works with protecting the rights of everyone playing it. He’ll dig into how we can move past the buzz of mega-events and build a system where safety and accountability aren't afterthoughts, but the foundation of the game from the local level up.

Info: Lab participant - Joy Ralamboarisoa, The Sustainable Game;
Maurice Ouderland, Founder OneLove

Info: sponsored by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Info: Session Moderator: Team Lead, Curacao Men’s National Football Association; Representative, World Coaches Program of the KNVB Netherlands Football Association; Andrew van Eden (WC Liaison, Tseil-Waututh Nation)

Info: Hear from Alex Phillips on FIFPRO’s push to keep the focus of global football on the pitch and the people who play. He’ll break down how smarter governance and a remission fund can protect player rights at every level, ensuring that the wealth at the top of the game flows back down to strengthen the pipeline.

Info: Focus: Critiquing the gaps between FIFA’s written aims and city implementation. The Aim of FIFA’s Human Rights Strategies and Assessments (placeholder)

Info: Hear from Kumsa Baker (Toronto) and leaders from Atlanta, New York, Seattle, and Miami on how North American host cities are rewriting the rules for mega-events. They’ll dig into how to move past the temporary buzz and how to leave behind real, lasting benefits like fair labor, immigration protections, and the local jobs and infrastructure that neighborhoods actually need.

Info: sponsored by Capilano University.

Info: Hear from Paul Alauzy, spokesperson for Le revers de la médaille, on the struggle to protect a city’s most vulnerable residents during the lead-up to mega-events. Representing a collective of 75 associations, Paul shares the difficult work of pushing back against social cleansing and displacement of the unhoused. He’ll dive into how we can move toward a hosting model that actually prioritizes human rights and housing over temporary optics.

Info: Participate in policy discussions and facilitated breakout groups looking into the following topics:
- Access to sports,
- Housing & AirbnB enforcement;
- Public health & Safe supply;
- Civil liberties & public space
- Youth employment and legacies;
- Tourism & hosting responsibilities;
- Social procurement and community benefits;
- Safety & Sexual violence

Info: Synthesis: Drafting the final recommendations for Host Cities (including Vancouver Secretariat May submission).

Info: Share a public record of accountability to inform final edits of the Vancouver 2026 strategy

Info: Documentary Shorts and Commentaries:

1) “The Flipside of the Medal: Lessons from a Struggle” (28:08). Documentary covering the notorious “joyful militancies” organized by Le Revers de la Médaille, a collective of 100+ Paris-based NGOs and Civil Society groups who coalesced to document and resist “social cleansing” in the French capital in the lead-up to the 2024 Olympic Games.

2) “Inhabiting the Mega-Event City: Housing Justice and Harm Reduction Activism in the Paris Olympics Year” [17 minutes]. Takeaways from a Paris / Vancouver community-based knowledge exchange project [SFU Geography; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada] exploring the mega-events continuum (Vancouver 2010, Paris 2024…) and how to better support vulnerable people who depend on public space when mega-events come to town! Featuring notorious Vancouver community organizers embedded in international solidarity movements.

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