In the first of a two-part series on how North American FBOs are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BAI explores the challenges and strategies being deployed in Vancouver and Monterrey
When the world’s most watched sporting event arrives in North America next June, business aviation operators across Canada, the USA, and Mexico will face their biggest operational challenge in years. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, spreading across 16 host cities in three countries, promises to deliver an unprecedented surge in flights that will test even the most experienced FBO teams.
The scale of the event is massive. With matches distributed across multiple cities over several weeks, business aviation will play a crucial role in moving team delegations, corporate guests, VIPs and affluent fans between venues. For FBOs in host cities the World Cup represents both an enormous opportunity and a complex logistical puzzle that requires months of advance planning.
Canada will host matches in Vancouver and Toronto, while Mexico’s host cities include Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey. Toronto has hosted significant international football events starting with Canada’s first entry in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 1957. The City of Guadalajara was a host city for the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cup Finals, a football venue during the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games, and has hosted the 2011 Pan American Games. Soccer holds a central place in Mexico City’s cultural fabric as the most practiced sport in the capital.
For Vancouver and Monterrey, two cities with deep football traditions preparing to welcome thousands of fans and delegations, the countdown is well underway. Both cities bring their own histories to the tournament. Vancouver previously hosted matches during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, giving the city’s aviation operators valuable experience in managing major international soccer events.
Monterrey’s football credentials run even deeper. CF Monterrey, the city’s first professional team, was established in 1945. Home to two of Mexico’s most relevant teams and passionate fan bases, Monterrey understands the football at a visceral level.
The challenge now is translating that passion into operational readiness.
A Collaborative strategy
At Million Air Vancouver, preparation for the World Cup isn’t happening in isolation. The FBO has recognized early that an event of this magnitude requires coordination across multiple organizations and stakeholders. General manager, Sean Lee explains that the FBO is embedded within a collaborative work-group led by the Vancouver Airport Authority, working alongside key stakeholders to build a comprehensive operational framework that will govern every aspect of tournament operations.
“This group is responsible for developing a comprehensive operational framework that spans the entire event lifecycle, from pre-arrival through departure,” Lee says. “Our planning encompasses critical areas such as safety and security protocols, traffic flow management, transportation logistics, and coordination with catering service providers.”
Planning began in late 2024 when the Vancouver Airport Authority launched initial strategic discussions with Million Air and other key partners. The timeline, Lee explains is “structured to ensure readiness well ahead of the tournament, with continuous assessments and adjustments as we approach June 2026.”
This iterative approach allows the team to adapt as challenges emerge and as the picture of expected traffic becomes clearer.
Since then, the approach has been methodical, structured around three distinct phases. The first phase is pre-event planning beginning 12 months before the tournament, “focusing on strategic coordination and resource allocation”, Lee explains. This is the phase where the foundational work happens, identifying potential bottlenecks, securing resources, and establishing the protocols that will guide operations during the event itself.
The second phase covers final preparations and event execution one to two months before the tournament. “This emphasizes operational readiness and contingency planning,” says Lee. This is when theory meets practice, when plans are tested and refined, and when the team ensures every element is in place for a smooth operation.
The third and final phase is post-event wrap-up and evaluation within two weeks after the event, centered on performance reviews and improvement processes. Even after the last flight departs, the work continues, analyzing what worked, what didn’t, and capturing lessons learned for future major events.
Between now and June, several major milestones mark the path forward. The final draw took place in Washington DC on 5 December, while the 76th FIFA Congress meeting will be held in Vancouver, bringing together representatives from all 211 FIFA member associations, FIFA confederations, media, and stakeholders.
“This marks a significant moment in the lead-up to the tournament,” Lee explains.
Lee believes the areas demanding the most attention are personnel and facilities. “Substantial lead time is allocated to personnel training and facility readiness,” Lee says. “Ensuring our team is fully equipped and our infrastructure is optimized for increased demand is our top priority.”
Million Air is preparing for what Lee describes as a significant surge in general and business aviation traffic during the tournament, particularly during the round of 32 and 16 matches, which will require enhanced coordination and capacity management.
That surge brings its own set of headaches. Lee identifies apron congestion as the primary concern: “This may lead to parking shortages or minor delays,” he says. “We are actively working on solutions to manage these challenges effectively.”
But there’s confidence in the team’s ability to handle the pressure. “Our highly skilled team of professionals working the flight line and front desk are among the best in the business and are prepared to handle a range of scenarios,” Lee says. “We’re implementing contingency plans to mitigate potential service disruptions and maintain the high safety and service standards that we are known for.”
For those planning to fly in for the matches, Lee’s advice is straightforward: “Advanced planning is essential and we encourage our customers to secure their bookings early to ensure availability.”
The key to managing the influx while maintaining service levels for regular customers lies in Million Air’s experience with major events. “We have a proven track record of managing high-profile events such as the Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, Super Bowls and major concerts,” Lee notes. “Through strategic planning and resource allocation, we ensure our regular clientele continues to receive uninterrupted, high-quality service.”
Throughout the tournament, “we will maintain continuous communication with flight operators, vendors and service providers to ensure seamless coordination and minimizes operational disruptions,” he adds.
Building capacity
Further south in Monterrey, ICCS is taking a different tack. Eduardo Olamendi is the FBO country manager at International Corporate and Cargo Services (ICCS) Monterrey and is focused on infrastructure and people.
“We are preparing by improving and remodeling areas of our FBO facility,” Olamendi explains. “We are also investing in human capital to assure safety and quality to our customers. Safety and teamwork is our number one service.”
The FBO began its World Cup preparations a year prior to the event, and unlike Vancouver with its previous major tournament experience, Monterrey is navigating more uncertain waters. “It is still an uncertain number since we have not had such a big event in Monterrey,” Olamendi admits, “But we are estimating during that period of time to have 100% more operations.”
Doubling operations is no small feat, and it requires a complete recruitment drive. When asked which departments need the most lead time, Olamendi’s answer is telling: “All areas are equally important, for that reason we recruiting in all departments in order to be ready for this event.”
The approach to breaking down such a massive project centers on coordination. “We are planning with airport authorities and local government officials to plan together an uneventful event,” Olamendi says, emphasizing that success will depend on having great organizational resource management and communication.
To manage the anticipated surge while keeping regular operations flowing, ICCS Monterrey is implementing a slot system. For operators planning to attend the matches, Olamendi’s guidance is clear on when to let the FBO know. “The sooner the better,” he says. “Advise us ahead of time when you are planning your trips as we will be working with slots to avoid saturation.”
Those slots will be crucial for balancing World Cup traffic with the FBO’s existing customer base, ensuring that regular clients aren’t squeezed out during the tournament rush.
The challenges Olamendi anticipates extend beyond the airfield. “Airport capacity problems due to simultaneous operations and delays in ground transportation due to traffic” top his list of concerns, issues that will require coordination far beyond the FBO’s fence line.
But with facility improvements underway and a growing team preparing to meet the moment, ICCS Monterrey is building the capacity needed to handle what will be the biggest event in the city’s aviation history.
As both FBOs demonstrate, preparing for a World Cup requires advance planning, substantial investment, and close coordination with multiple stakeholders. With just months remaining until kickoff, the groundwork being laid now will determine whether business aviation operators can turn this challenge into a display of operational excellence.
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