FIFA World Cup 2026: Vancouver Hosts Seven Matches

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by whatnext

With the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I guess we should be relieved they’re playing their games in Houston!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XH1yv2MGidU&pp=ygUPV29ybGQgY3VwIGVib2xh&ra=m

I meeean......that's not really how that works(?)

Suffice it to say that if any of the players were infected, they probably wouldn't be in any shape to train,...let alone play.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

I meeean......that's not really how that works(?)

Suffice it to say that if any of the players were infected, they probably wouldn't be in any shape to train,...let alone play.

Well, apparently FIFA and the USA have been monitoring it:

DR Congo World Cup team still planning US trip despite Ebola outbreak
The DRC team cancelled the Kinshasa leg of its pre-World Cup training due to health restrictions.
By Sophia Cai
05/19/2026 04:28 PM EDT

World Cup organizers are confronting a new logistical hurdle ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: how to safely host the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national team in the United States amid heightened public health restrictions tied to an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.

The Congolese national team has canceled the portion of its pre-World Cup training camp that was scheduled to take place this month in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. But the team still intends to travel to Europe and then Texas before the tournament begins in June, team officials told West Wing Playbook....

...The Trump administration and FIFA are working to ensure the Congolese team can enter the United States for its training camp and tournament matches.

“We’re actively working with FIFA to ensure that there is safe traveling, safe passage, and ensuring that travelers and the American public remain safe throughout,” said Satish Pillai, incident manager for CDC’s Ebola response, on a call with reporters today....

...Fans from the Democratic Republic of Congo who have already received their visa will need to show proof that they spent 21 days outside of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan before they enter the U.S., consistent with CDC guidelines.

But fans who have not received a visa may face difficulties getting one as the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has temporarily paused all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services....

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/19...u-s-trip-despite-ebola-outbreak-00928354

[Spr0ckets]

Which is the responsible thing to do and entirely unsurprising given what the entire world underwent 6 years ago, and also given the fact that this would be the second Ebola outbreak in the last 12 years when there also was a pandemic in 2014.

Also not surprising to hear that DRC fans will probably experience difficulties getting a visas to attend the tournament.

The bigger surprise might be that they were not already banned from attending as several African countries already are by this (American) administration ......presumably for the crime of coming from ......(as their dear leader would put it...)......"S-Hole countries".
Like the defending African Continental Champions (AFCON), Senegal, who will have to compete in the World Cup without the support of their fans that are banned. (????)

Go figure.

[Changing City]

"According to Destination Vancouver, June hotel bookings are down 20 per cent compared to the same time last year. CityNews

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

"According to Destination Vancouver, June hotel bookings are down 20 per cent compared to the same time last year. CityNews

Seems like that’s the case in most of the North American host cities, well below expectations:

Empty rooms and Fifa cancellations - US hotels fear World Cup washout
Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent
Published
20 May 2026
The World Cup was supposed to provide a tourism boom for the US, but now the fear is it may never materialise.
A report, external produced by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has found that bookings are well below expectations in almost every host city.
The AHLA said this does not align with Fifa's statement that more than five million tickets have been sold,, external and it creates a risk that "the anticipated economic lift may fall short".…

https://www.bloomberg.com/canada?sref=x4rjnz06

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Changing City

"According to Destination Vancouver, June hotel bookings are down 20 per cent compared to the same time last year. CityNews

Below a standard June? That's insane.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Below a standard June? That's insane.

I wonder how many potential visitors were scared off by the prices. Or if cruise pax decided to decided to skip a night or two on Vancouver because of them?

[giallo]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I wonder how many potential visitors were scared off by the prices. Or if cruise pax decided to decided to skip a night or two on Vancouver because of them?

This did a lot of heavy-lifting. I have friends who are coming to Vancouver in August, when they normally come in June/July, specifically to dodge FIFA and the price-gouging they, rightly, predicted would happen.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by giallo

This did a lot of heavy-lifting. I have friends who are coming to Vancouver in August, when they normally come in June/July, specifically to dodge FIFA and what the price-gouging they, rightly, predicted would happen.

We had friends come in May for this same reason as well

[WarrenC12]

Still two weeks out and a major route out of downtown is closed until the end of the tournament. The levels of disruption for this event border on comical.

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1tm2r6s/pacific_blvd_closure_begins_saturday_in/

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Still two weeks out and a major route out of downtown is closed until the end of the tournament. The levels of disruption for this event border on comical.

It must be very disruptive if you live in the area, particularly if you live on Pacific, but overall it's less than was closed in 2010 for the Olympics. Downtown those were:

Expo and Pacific Boulevard (between Nelson Street and Quebec Street): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts: February 5 to March 2, 2010

Quebec Street (between Terminal Street and 2nd Avenue): January 15 to March 25, 2010

Quebec Street (between Keefer Street and Terminal Street, southbound only): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Canada Place and Waterfront Road: January 27 to February 28, 2010

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Changing City

It must be very disruptive if you live in the area, particularly if you live on Pacific, but overall it's less than was closed in 2010 for the Olympics. Downtown those were:

Expo and Pacific Boulevard (between Nelson Street and Quebec Street): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts: February 5 to March 2, 2010

Quebec Street (between Terminal Street and 2nd Avenue): January 15 to March 25, 2010

Quebec Street (between Keefer Street and Terminal Street, southbound only): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Canada Place and Waterfront Road: January 27 to February 28, 2010

Yes because there were thousands of athletes and others staying in that direct area, along with Rogers being a primary venue. Arguably more fans coming from around the world too. And of course for a shorter duration.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Still two weeks out and a major route out of downtown is closed until the end of the tournament. The levels of disruption for this event border on comical.

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1tm2r6s/pacific_blvd_closure_begins_saturday_in/

Illustrating once again the folly of putting a bike lane up the north side of Smithe. Now all that traffic that used to take the Pacific offramp will be trying to make a right turn across the bike lane onto Cambie, Hamilton or Homer

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Illustrating once again the folly of putting a bike lane up the north side of Smithe. Now all that traffic that used to take the Pacific offramp will be trying to make a right turn across the bike lane onto Cambie, Hamilton or Homer

What a weird take. The closure of Pacific last happened for the Winter Olympics in 2010, and now for a few weeks for the World Cup. It's likely the bike lane on Smithe will be safe to use for many years before another disruption.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Illustrating once again the folly of putting a bike lane up the north side of Smithe. Now all that traffic that used to take the Pacific offramp will be trying to make a right turn across the bike lane onto Cambie, Hamilton or Homer

Bike lane has nothing to do with anything old man.

[jollyburger]

Nova Scotia RCMP officers headed to Vancouver for FIFA World Cup duty

Members of the Nova Scotia RCMP will be deployed to Vancouver next month to help with policing when the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off next month, RCMP confirmed Friday.

In an email to The Chronicle Herald, the RCMP said approximately 160 Nova Scotia officers will be sent to British Columbia to aid with the tournament.

“The Nova Scotia RCMP is sending approximately 160 officers to Vancouver over a three-week period in support of the FIFA World Cup,” the RCMP said in the email. “For most, deployments will not exceed one week.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, with Vancouver serving as one of the Canadian host cities. BC Place stadium is scheduled to host seven matches during the tournament.

Canada’s first tournament match is June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/fifa-world-cup-vancouver-police-duty

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Bike lane has nothing to do with anything old man.

And how often do you drive down there? Beatty at least has a dedicated turn light (though that will back up very quickly). The others rely on drivers craning their necks around to see if there's a DoorDouche driver on an ebike barrelling up along behind them. That's pretty much the bulk of traffic on that Vision Vancouver-era fail.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

What a weird take. The closure of Pacific last happened for the Winter Olympics in 2010, and now for a few weeks for the World Cup. It's likely the bike lane on Smithe will be safe to use for many years before another disruption.

Smithe Bike Lane was 2016.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

And how often do you drive down there? Beatty at least has a dedicated turn light (though that will back up very quickly). The others rely on drivers craning their necks around to see if there's a DoorDouche driver on an ebike barrelling up along behind them. That's pretty much the bulk of traffic on that Vision Vancouver-era fail.

All the time. You?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

All the time. You?

Relatively frequently. Do you make a right off Smithe onto any of those streets or do you go up to St P? It's a bad design.