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The 2026 World Cup is just six months away with Vancouver’s B.C. Place Stadium hosting matches across several weeks from June.

As competing countries and fans eagerly await the World Cup draw on Friday, cities across Metro Vancouver are navigating the opportunities and challenges that come with the tournament rolling into town – everything from staging fans zones, branding, hospitality, logistics, trade and marketing. 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏexperts are available to give their insight on various topics relating to the World Cup.   

AVAILABLE 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏEXPERTS 

Economy, hospitality and marketing

LUANA CARCANO, lecturer and academic director, Beedie School of Business 
luana_carcano@sfu.ca 
Expertise: Marketing, branding, ecosystems and strategies for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Vancouver.

ANDREY PAVLOV,  professor, Beedie School of Business 
apavlov@sfu.ca â¶Ä¯
Expertise: Impact of the World Cup on the local economy and hospitality, including how B.C.’s new short-term rental rules may affect visiting fans.

ANDY YAN, director, The City Program   
ayan@sfu.ca 
Expertise: Short-term rentals, visitor accommodation, housing, urban planning and regeneration, transportation.

Public policy 

KENNEDY STEWART, associate professor, public policy
kennedys@sfu.ca
Expertise: As Mayor of Vancouver (2018-2022), Stewart played an integral role in helping to bring the World Cup to Vancouver. He can comment on how the successful bid was pieced together and what it means for the city and wider area to host matches and welcome fans from across the world. 

Sports analytics

TIM SWARTZ, professor, statistics and actuarial science 
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Expertise: The rise of sports analytics and data in soccer; Swartz has authored more than 60 journal articles on sports analytics and has recently published a new book detailing some of the approaches used in the world of sports analytics.

Human rights

TRAVERS, professor, sociology 
atravers@sfu.ca
Expertise: Transgender issues, trans kids/youth, sport and social justice, transgender participation and sport, female eligibility policies in sport. 

Contact

SAM SMITH, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏCommunications & Marketing  
236.880.3297 | samuel_smith@sfu.ca

51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ 
Communications & Marketing | 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏMedia Experts Directory 
778.782.3210

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51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏis a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏhas been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏfosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏhas ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.