Vancouver has a rich sports legacy that’ll be the perfect stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, building on decades of athletic achievement and passion from the international community. It’s long been a hub for major sporting events, from the Vancouver Millionaires’ early 20th-century hockey streak to the enduring popularity of the Vancouver Whitecaps, the city’s beloved Major League Soccer team. The World Cup will be just one of many noteworthy events that have been held at the BC Place Stadium, including the 1983 Soccer Bowl and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Hosting the winter Olympics was a transformative moment for sports in Vancouver. Not only did it show the city had the fanbase to host global athletic events, but also showed it had the infrastructure to welcome visitors en masse for events. The Vancouver World Cup matches will be some of the most exciting, partially because of the location: BC Place Stadium is in the heart of downtown Vancouver, close to all the city’s best things to do.
Here’s what you should know before you plan your trip to the Vancouver World Cup games, along with where to stay and where to watch the action when you aren’t at the stadium.
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Vancouver is one of the most outdoorsy cities in North America, and you could spend days just exploring Stanley Park or North Vancouver, reachable via the SeaBus from downtown. But here are a few specific ideas to get you started.
Photo: Destination BC/Patrice Halley
Takaya Tours is a First Nations-owned adventure company in British Columbia, and from Vancouver, you can join a paddling tour aboard a replica Tsleil-Waututh Nation canoe. A First Nations guide will share songs, legends, and information about the coastline during the trip. Guests can paddle, but don’t have to, and tours conveniently leave from Cates Park in North Vancouver. Trips run from April to October and are $135 per person CAD, or about $98 US.
Photo: Ronnie Chua/Shutterstock
For visitors, the coolest attraction is probably the ROX, or Richmond Olympic Experience. It has interactive exhibits, displays of Olympic memorabilia, and high-tech sport simulators where you can experience slightly less-accessible Olympic events, like ski jumping and bobsledding. Tickets are a reasonable $15.50 for adults.
Photo: milosk50/Shutterstock
The City of Vancouver is all about getting outside, and has not one, not two, but a whopping 27 different walking tours available online. All have easy-to-follow directions you can open on your phone, and information about points of interest you’ll pass along the way. Visitors can take a stroll through the city’s Chinatown, learn about the architecture in Gastown (the city’s oldest commercial district), or take a longer walk through Stanley Park to see environmental art made only from natural materials.
Photo: Airbnb
With Stanley Park and the gorgeous Seawall bike path inside the city limits, Vancouver is one of the best cities in North America for getting outdoors. One of the most fun ways to see the city while getting a bit of fresh air is on a guided cycling tour, like this one from Airbnb Experiences. It’s a four-hour tour through lush forests and along scenic sections of the waterfront. Visitors will ride through Pacific Spirit Park’s towering trees, then pedal along the Seawall to Stanley Park with stops at the famous totem poles and Siwash Rock. It then continues to Granville Island’s public market, with time to taste samples and soak in the lively atmosphere.
Tours are hosted by a long-time local and experienced cyclist, starting at $125 Canadian (about $100 USD) per person.
Photo: Lijuan Guo/Shutterstock
The Grouse Grind is Vancouver’s most iconic and challenging hike, ascending the southern slope of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver. It’s only about 1.5 to 1.8 miles long, but gains a punishing 2,800 feet of elevation. Starting at the base near the Grouse Mountain Gondola, you’ll climb nearly 3,000 rocky and wooded steps through a beautiful coastal forest. Fortunately, progress is marked every quarter of the way. Unfortunately, the steepest sections are in the final half. At the summit is the Grouse Mountain Chalet, at which point hikers need to take the Skyride Gondola down, as reverse hiking isn’t allowed. It’s tough, but will help you get calves like a soccer player in no time.
Doolin’s Irish Pub used to be the official pub partner of the Vancouver Southsiders (the Whitecaps’ most passionate supporters’ group) for many years. But when that pub closed, the Southsiders made a move to popular bar The Blarney Stone, Vancouver’s longest-running Irish bar. That means the bar is always packed with fans on Whitecaps match days — and sometimes hosts a few Whitecaps players themselves, when other matches are on the many TVs. The pub’s welcoming vibe, central location, and commitment to showing all Whitecaps home and away matches make it a prime spot for player sightings and fan camaraderie. The viewing parties are always a good time, complete with live commentary, contests, and food and drink specials. It gets raucous, so don’t go here looking for a laid-back spot to have a quick meal.
The Blarney Stone: 216 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J1
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A beloved local pub near BC Place, The Cambie is a hotspot for soccer fans. It’s known for its lively atmosphere during international matches, with multiple screens, great beer selection, and classic pub fare. It’s a dive bar in the best way possible, and since it doesn’t have one team in particular regulars root for, you can come in regardless of whether you’re wearing green and yellow for Ghana or black and red for Japan. Expect to see fans from all over the world gathering to cheer on their teams.
The Cambie: 300 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4
For authentic Italian cuisine and a passionate soccer crowd, the Italian Cultural Centre in East Vancouver is a must-visit. The Centre is a hub for Italians in Vancouver, with everything from cultural events to lectures, sporting events, and an Italian book club. But during the Vancouver World Cup games, you can bet it’ll be hosting an event (and cheering for Italy). The Centre is home to Osteria al Centro, and we’d be absolutely flabbergasted if it didn’t host huge crowds when the World Cup is underway.
The Italian Cultural Centre: 3075 Slocan St, Vancouver, BC V5M 3E4
Photo: Booking.com
One of the best things about attending the Vancouver World Cup matches is that BC Place Stadium is in the middle of downtown. You won’t have long public transit rides to reach the stadium, and after games, it’s likely that enthusiastic crowds will spill out of the stadium and fill local bars and restaurants with soccer fans. So if you want to stay nearby and be able to walk to all the action, you’ll want to choose accommodations in downtown Vancouver, or somewhere near a SkyTrain station.
Want more options? Check out Matador‘s guide to the best hotels near BC Place in Vancouver, or check out our roundup of the best Airbnbs for people attending the Vancouver World Cup matches.
Photo: Airbnb
