Moncton says they’re on track with a month to go before FIFA World Cup

Above watch: With one month until the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Moncton is preparing to hold its first game on June 9th. The city is confident this will be the biggest event Moncton ever hosted. Alex Abdelwahab reports.

MONCTON – There’s one month to go before the kick-off of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Moncton hosts its first game – England versus France – on June 9th. The city is confident this will be the biggest event it’s ever hosted, and organizers are starting their final preparations.

“This week we saw temporary stands going up,” Stephane Delisle, Moncton’s venue general manager said Wednesday. “What you can’t see is that inside the venue there’s some temporary construction going on as well.”

Delisle said training has also started for the 270 volunteers who will be helping during the 10 days of the games.

Moncton will host seven games over five match days – June 9, 13, 15, 17 and 21. Both June 9 and 13 are double-headers with games happening at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The temporary stands will expand the capacity at the Moncton Stadium to 15,000 seats. Tickets range from $20.15 to $80 and are on sale now. But so far ticket sales in Moncton have lagged, according to Delisle.

“Here in Moncton, we see trends where people tend to wait,” he said. “I believe that some people that may not have realized that it was coming, are now going to go: ‘Wow, okay, it’s one month out, I need to be there.'”

Delisle said they’re expecting 20 per cent of spectators in Moncton will be from out-of-town. According to a FIFA study, the games are expected to generate $27 million for Moncton and $40 million for New Brunswick.

Jillian Somers, manager of marketing and event development for the city, said they are also making their final preparations with logistics and planning. The city is responsible for several training sites, in addition to the stadium.

Somers also said they are planning for how the games will affect other aspects of the city.

“Be aware of the fact that there is going to be a lot of increased traffic in the city,” she said. “On behalf of the city of Moncton, our commitment is to be sure to communicate any kinds of detours, any kinds of road closures that may be happening as a result of the tournament.”

The Delta Beausejour is one of the hotels hosting players and officials.

“We have some teams staying here,” Ray Roberge, the general manager said. “I can’t tell you who, or when.”

He said their staff have been undergoing training to learn how people from different cultures want to be treated, so nothing distracts the teams from their games.

“The kitchen has been working very hard on designing menus to suit the different cultures, the different countries, the different teams that are coming over here,” he said.

Transportation and parking options

-Moncton will be offering a free Park and Ride service on game days, from the Moncton Coliseum. Shuttles will depart starting three hours before kick-off, with users dropped off at the corner of Massey Avenue and Hillside Drive on university campus. After the games, shuttles will depart from the drop-off location back to the Coliseum and they will continue running until everybody is served.

– On match days only three types of vehicles will be allowed on campus: those with accessibility identification will be able to park on Pascal-Poirier Street, vehicles with pre-purchased event parking passes will be allowed to park by the Jean-Louis Lévesque Arena, vehicles with university parking passes will be able to park near the LaFrance residence. A limited number of event parking passes will be available on the tickets.moncton.ca website for $20 per vehicle. Parking lots will open three hours ahead of kick-off.

-Codiac Transpo will be making adjustments to its 61 Elmwood drive route during the games. It will not travel on Antonine-Maillet Avenue or Pascal-Poirier Street and will instead travel along Université Avenue.

-Spectators are encouraged to walk or bike to the event.