Jumbo Screen at BC Place Stadium

The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in Canada, USA and Mexico. Select games of the international soccer tournament are at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

Canada is in Group B along with Qatar, Switzerland and Bosnia/Herzegovina.

For details about FIFA-related events at the PNE and other communities, click FIFA Fan Festival, Granville Island Watch Party, Canyon Kick-Off, Bay’Score Fan Experience, Surrey FIFA Fan Zones, Richmond Celebrates Soccer, Coquitlam Summer of Soccer, or Soccer in the Square at UBC. To learn about the World Cup in general, and its games in Vancouver, continue reading.

This article contains the following information about the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

FIFA in Vancouver

2026 FIFA World Cup Soccer in Vancouver

In 2026 the World Cup runs from June 11th until July 19th with games played in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Seven of the games take place in Vancouver, at BC Place Stadium. That includes five group stage games on June 13th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 26th, and two knockout round games on July 2nd and 7th.

Throughout the World Cup, in addition to the live games, there are parties and other FIFA-related celebratory events all over the Lower Mainland, including an official one at the PNE as well as “soccer parties” in Richmond, Surrey, at UBC and in other communities.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest international soccer competition in the world. The tournament takes place every four years. Argentina won the 2022 edition in Qatar. The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in Vancouver and 15 other cities across North America.

The 2026 tournament is particularly special for a number of reasons. It’s the first time that the FIFA World Cup is happening in three different countries in the same year. It’s also the very first time that Canada is hosting the tournament.

Even more importantly, 2026 features 48 teams rather than the usual 32. This is the first time since 1998 that the World Cup has expanded in size. There will be 12 groups of 4 teams each, with the top 2 from each group as well as the 8 best third-place teams advancing to the knockout round.

Canada’s World Cup Games

In Canada’s first game, they play Bosnia & Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12th. Then they play Qatar on June 18th and Switzerland on June 24th, with both games in Vancouver.

In addition to the games, there is also a FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE, FIFA Fan Zones in Surrey, Richmond Celebrates Soccer, Soccer in the Square at UBC, and other World Cup-related community events.

When and Where?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11th until July 19th. Games in Vancouver take place between June 13th and July 7th.

BC Place Stadium hosts all of the games happening in Vancouver. The venue is located at 777 Pacific Boulevard. It’s an impressive building that hosted nine matches during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s also home to the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer and BC Lions Canadian football teams.

FIFA Vancouver

FIFA 2026 Schedule and Teams

Host countries automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup. Following the qualifying rounds and the tournament’s draw, the groups for the 2026 World Cup are as follows:

Group A – Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Czechia
Group B – Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C – Brazil, Morocco, Scotland and Haiti
Group D – United States, Australia, Paraguay and Turkey
Group E – Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curaçao
Group F – Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and Sweden
Group G – Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand
Group H – Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde
Group I – France, Senegal, Norway and Iraq
Group J – Argentina, Austria, Algeria and Jordan
Group K – Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo
Group L – England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama

The tournament format includes 104 games in 2026. Most of the games take place in the United States, with 13 of the games happening in Canada, split between Vancouver and Toronto.

Games taking place in Vancouver are listed below.

Group Stage Games

Saturday, June 13th, 2026 – Australia vs Turkey at 9:00 pm
Thursday, June 18th, 2026 – Canada vs Qatar at 3:00 pm
Sunday, June 21st, 2026 – New Zealand vs Egypt at 6:00 pm
Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 – Canada vs Switzerland at noon
Friday, June 26th, 2026 – New Zealand vs Belgium at 8:00 pm

Round of 32 Game

Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 – Winner of Group B vs 3rd Place from Group E/F/G/I/J at 8:00 pm

Round of 16 Game

Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 – Teams TBC at 1:00 pm

Those interested in attending can buy tickets to specific matches on the FIFA Tickets website. There was previously various lotteries for fans to access the ability to buy tickets. Competition to score some seats is fierce!

FIFA Fan Zone

FIFA Fan Festival in Vancouver

During each FIFA World Cup, host cities offer viewing events for everyone. 2026 is no exception.

The 2026 FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver is at the PNE from June 11th to July 19th. The more than a month long festival will include screenings of all the matches as well as live entertainment, games, food and other fun activities.

The centrepiece of the festival is the new Freedom Mobile Arch at the PNE fairgrounds. The amphitheatre includes 10,000 seats, a massive screen for movies and other broadcasts (like soccer games!) and a roof covering that keeps the seats dry but retains an open-air feeling.

For more details about the official viewing events in Vancouver, see our article about the FIFA Fan Festival.

Cameroonian FIFA Soccer Team Huddle — Cameroon at FIFA Women’s World Cup Game in 2015

Soccer in the Square at UBC

Soccer in the Square at UBC is a series of free match screenings at Wesbrook Village. The events are casual and attendees are encouraged to bring camping chairs and blankets. Wesbrook Village offers a number of restaurants and bakeries nearby. On some days, there are family-friendly movies to enjoy on the big screen too.

For more information about the free screenings at Wesbrook Village, check out our article about Soccer in the Square at UBC or click liveatubc.ca.

Bay’Score Fan Experience

Held inside the Westin Bayshore Hotel‘s Grand Ballroom, the Bay’Score Fan Experience features a huge LED Infinity Wall with live match broadcasts on select dates during the tournament. The event includes soccer-themed games and activities for all ages, as well as themed snacks and drinks available to purchase.

Admission is complimentary with a minimum food and drink spend of $30 for adults and $13 for kids. The air-conditioned venue is open to hotel guests and the general public.

To learn more about this fan zone, see our Bay’Score Fan Experience article or visit westinbayshore.com.

Canyon Kick-Off at Capilano Bridge

Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of the best attractions in the Lower Mainland. During the World Cup, and for a few days before the tournament begins, the park hosts a special Canyon Kick-Off event.

From June 6th until July 19th, Capilano Suspension Bridge’s soccer-themed event features flags and colours of competing countries, as well as a large soccer ball beneath the bridge. There are also soccer games and family-friendly activities throughout the attraction.

For additional details, see our Canyon Kick-Off article or visit capbridge.com.

Granville Island Watch Party

Fans of soccer in Vancouver can cheer on their favourite teams at the Granville Island Watch Party. It’s a series of events with live match broadcasts and other festivities on most dates between June 11th and July 19th. Attendees can expect to see food trucks, a beer garden, family play zones, and other community programming. Granville Island is already one of the top tourist attractions in the city, and it will be even more popular during the tournament.

To learn more about the World Cup events at Granville Island, see our article about the Granville Watch Party or click granvilleisland.com/watchparty.

Richmond Celebrates Soccer

In celebration of the World Cup in Vancouver, Richmond offers a number of special events at various venues throughout the tournament. All of them are free to attend. For example, there’s a World Soccer Day Kick-Off Event at the Richmond Olympic Oval on June 12th. Other events on other days are held at places such as Aberdeen Neighbourhood Park, Hamilton Community Park, Steveston Community Park, and more.

For additional details about the events in Richmond, see our Richmond Celebrates Soccer article or visit the richmondcelebratessoccer.ca website.

Coquitlam’s Summer of Soccer

The city of Coquitlam hosts four different soccer-themed celebrations as part of their Summer of Soccer series. The events take place at Percy Perry Stadium on June 12th, Blue Mountain Park on June 24th, Town Centre Park on July 1st, and Percy Perry Stadium once again on July 19th. All four celebrations feature live match broadcasts and inclusive atmospheres.

To learn more about the series of events, check out our Summer of Soccer article or visit coquitlam.ca.

FIFA Events in Surrey

Events celebrating the World Cup are happening in Surrey at a number of locations between June 11th and July 19th in 2026. They’ll be at South Surrey Athletic Park, Surrey Civic Plaza, and the Cloverdale Agriplex. There will also be a FIFA Watch Party at the Surrey Canada Day Celebrations at Bill Reid Millennium Park on July 1st.

For more details about the World Cup-related events in Surrey, see our article about Surrey FIFA Fan Zones or visit surreysoccerfanzones.ca.