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The Vancouver-born head of soccer’s governing body in North and Central America and the Caribbean has finally spoken about his disappointment at his hometown not being part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“Am I disappointed? Probably more than anybody,” Victor Montagliani told Postmedia’s Kurtis Larson on Monday.

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“Not only is it my city, where I grew up, and my province, but I did everything I could at the eleventh hour to get extensions.”

Montagliani turned down multiple interview requests in the days leading up to the finalization of the United bid in March, when news first got out that Vancouver might find itself on the outside looking in.

But on Monday, with the United bid having won the right to host the 2026 tournament and the current men’s World Cup in Russia now well underway, the former boss of the Canadian Soccer Association and one of the lead organizers of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, which played games in Vancouver, was apparently finally willing to share some thoughts.