The match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was announced Sunday afternoon, and we now know how many games will be played in Vancouver.
The tournament is to be hosted in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico and the USA.
The Canadian games will be split between Vancouver and Toronto, with the cities hosting five matches each during the group stage, FIFA announced.
The Vancouver matches take place on June 13, June 18, June 21, June 24 and June 26. They will be held at BC Place.
Team Canada is set to play in Vancouver on June 18 and 24, for two out of three of its matches during the group stage.
Vancouver will also host two knock-out games, one in the round of 32 on July 2 and another in the round of 16 on July 7.
“I don’t think we could have asked for anything more,” former Canadian men’s national team player and coach, Bob Lenarduzzi, told CTV News.
“I’m just delighted that we’re able to be as significant a part of the 2026 World Cup as we are by hosting seven games here,” Lenarduzzi continued.
The event is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe to the city.
The province estimates it could pump in as much as $1 billion into the B.C. economy.
“I know that there’s small businesses that are looking forward to this, including the restaurant industry,” said Lana Popham, B.C.’s minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport.
Popham says they were expecting to get around five games, so the extra two come as a pleasant surprise.
“We know that these elimination games draw an enormous crowd, so we now have a lot more potential to attract more visitors here,” she said.
In total, Canada is getting 13 matches—seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto.
Mexico will also host 13 games, and the remaining 78 will be played in the USA in the expanded 2026 World Cup. For the first time, 48 teams will compete in the tournament, up from 32. The three host nations automatically qualify, while the remaining teams won’t be confirmed until December 2025.
It’s the first time Canada will be a host nation for the men’s World Cup.
The tournament kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, followed by the first match on Canadian soil in Toronto on June 12.
The championship game is slated for East Rutherford, New Jersey. The bronze medal game will be held in Miami.
The other host cities include Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
