FIFA World Cup 2026
Summer 2026
Vancouver was a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and as such the city pedestrianized various areas of the city for fans to watch the games, celebrate, and hang out. I spent some time throughout the summer documenting the World Cup energy around the city.
Kodak Vision3 250D (35mm), Kodak Gold 200 (35mm), Kodacolor 200 (35mm), Kodak Portra 800 (35mm)
Granville Street
Granville St. downtown was one of the areas pedestrianized, decorated with various football themed art installations with extended patio seating for fans to watch the games. It was a great time to live downtown and be able to hang out among the various tourists (and locals) who were all out watching the games together, cheering, and having a great time.
Canada Wins
On June 28, 2026, Canada defeated South Africa 1-0, qualifying to the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country's history.
As expected, Granville St. in Vancouver erupted with fans celebrating this historic moment, myself included. It was a joy celebrating with my fellow Canadians. The energy and vibes that day in Vancouver was unmatched!
FIFA World Cup Match
I also managed to catch the Algeria v Switzerland match on July 2, 2026 at BC Place, my local stadium in Vancouver. I managed to bring my point-and-shoot camera and snap some photos during the match.
It was amazing getting to experience a World Cup game in person, and the energy at the stadium was electric. I will probably never live in a FIFA World Cup host city again, so I am very glad I got to go to at least one game while I could!
Switzerland defeated Algeria 2-0.
The Final
With the last World Cup game in Vancouver coming to an end on July 7, 2026, Granville St. had quieted down quite a bit, but it still had more traffic than usual summertime.
On July 19, 2026 the FIFA World Cup Final was held, in which Spain defeated Argentina 1-0. Granville St. burst into one final round of celebrations to honour Spain's victory and bring the World Cup celebrations to an end in Vancouver.
In Closing
Overall, the FIFA World Cup 2026 was a great experience and it injected an infectious energy into the city which I had never seen before. I truly hope my fellow Vancouverites can keep this energy going for the summers to follow, as this sense of community and coming-togetherness is something that is very much desired and appreciated in Vancouver!
