Why the BC Place Stadium didn’t have to change it’s name for the World Cup

The BC Place Stadium is one of the stadiums hosting games at the 2026 World Cup and is one of the few that doesn’t have to change its name.

Based in Vancouver, Canada , the 54,500-capacity ground will host seven games throughout the tournament, including Canada vs Qatar .

Several stadiums such as the Estadio Azteca have been forced to change their name , but the BC Place stadium is exempt from this rule.

FIFA prevent sponsors not affiliated to the governing body or the World Cup from being displayed during the tournament.

This has even seen the labels of some condiments covered up at the stadiums.

However, the BC Place Stadium is allowed to keep it’s actual name as it is publicly owned by the province of British Columbia and doesn’t have a naming rights deal with a sponsor.

There is only one other stadium which has been allowed to keep it’s sponsor. Although renamed to the Atlanta Stadium, the Mercedes-Benz stadium will keep the logo as organisers did not know how to remove it without causing damage or safety concerns.

One bonus of holding World Cup games here is the stadium’s central location in the city of Vancouver.