FIFA World Cup 2026: Vancouver Hosts Seven Matches

[kikin]

just walked down Granville and things are much quieter, but still pleasant, some people enjoying a meal and drinks on the patios and people strolling along shopping

would be great if planning started for next summer to host some festivals and street parties on Granville, keep the momentum going and give tourists a fun area in the centre to enjoy and spread the word around the world about our holiday destination potential, not to mention a get together social area for locals too.

The vibe downtown this summer was amazing and so good for morale.

[SpongeG]

Maybe the White Caps game can take advantage of it and get a pre/post game party going , i think people are more interested in the game now.

[memememe76]

I think the White Caps fans do a march to BC Place before each game. I think that will be a bigger feature.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by kikin

would be great if planning started for next summer to host some festivals and street parties on Granville

That's already a thing - buses are moved to Seymour and Howe, then moved back once summer's over.

[svlt]

It was an electric month. Nice to have felt similar vibes on some days as the 2010 Olympics gave. Hope we can take some lessons on this on urbanity/street planning.

[kikin]

can we also get some enforcement of public intoxication laws on Granville, I walked by there this morning and some guy was doing the fentanyl bend while teetering holding a crack pipe as families with young kids walked by, no sane society should allow that in business and tourist areas, if we can't build big detox centers then at the very least we need containment areas outside of our business/residential/shopping/tourism districts

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by kikin

can we also get some enforcement of public intoxication laws on Granville, I walked by there this morning and some guy was doing the fentanyl bend while teetering holding a crack pipe as families with young kids walked by, no sane society should allow that in business and tourist areas, if we can't build big detox centers then at the very least we need containment areas outside of our business/residential/shopping/tourism districts

This is how sad British Columbia is. Can you imagine arresting people for drinking on Granville and having fun during the World Cup yet if you're bent over on fentanyl, cracked out of your mind, it's a total normal day for the police? Absolutely disrespectful. Any member of the police force who arrested any of those people deserves to burn in hell as far as I'm concerned.


During FIFA - On Granville Street, 36 people were arrested under the Criminal Code, 99 for breach of peace and 42 for public intoxication.

https://vicnews.com/2026/07/20/16-foreign-nationals-arrested-in-vancouver-during-world-cup/

[djmk]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

This is how sad British Columbia is. Can you imagine arresting people for drinking on Granville and having fun during the World Cup yet if you're bent over on fentanyl, cracked out of your mind, it's a total normal day for the police? Absolutely disrespectful. Any member of the police force who arrested any of those people deserves to burn in hell as far as I'm concerned.


During FIFA - On Granville Street, 36 people were arrested under the Criminal Code, 99 for breach of peace and 42 for public intoxication.

https://vicnews.com/2026/07/20/16-foreign-nationals-arrested-in-vancouver-during-world-cup/

the fentanyl guy might be included in the 42 public intoxication.

[Denscity]

The only major events Vancouver hasnt hosted now is the Summer Olympics and the Pan Am games.

[giallo]

Originally Posted by djmk

the fentanyl guy might be included in the 42 public intoxication.

I was down on the Graville Strip a few times during the WC, and on two separate occasions saw a drugged-out person getting arrested by the police, so they were cracking down.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Denscity

The only major events Vancouver hasnt hosted now is the Summer Olympics and the Pan Am games.

We haven't hosted Eurovision yet either.

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by chowhou

We haven't hosted Eurovision yet either.

or F1!

[kikin]

I was just walking down Granville and noticed prominently walking beat cops still patrolling, which is nice to see. A police presence within earshot does a lot for public confidence and as a deterrence to bad actors.

[SpongeG]

did they really ship out the homeless to Kelowna? Some people on socials making comments that that is what happened.

[kikin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

did they really ship out the homeless to Kelowna? Some people on socials making comments that that is what happened.

I don't think so, I think more that the addicts didn't like the increased police presence and crowds of normal people and moved to quieter places, and the police didn't hesitate to stop and question those that were acting erratically so that might have also helped. Hope we can keep up the proactive approach.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

did they really ship out the homeless to Kelowna? Some people on socials making comments that that is what happened.

There were no fewer people occupying the sidewalks of the DTES during the games. There might have been a few more police patrolling, and the city crews removing everything from the East Hastings sidewalks appeared to be a little more diligent, but that just meant the population on side streets, parallel streets, lanes and through Chinatown went up.