Big World Cup win raises odds of Team Canada knockout matches in Vancouver

Canada soccer fans march prior to a World Cup Group B soccer match, against Qatar in Vancouver, on Thursday, June 18, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

VANCOUVER — Canada’s resounding World Cup win over Qatar doesn’t just put the team in the driver’s seat to advance in the tournament for the first time — it raises the prospect of even more Team Canada action in Vancouver.

If Canada wins or draws against Switzerland at BC Place next Wednesday, it means the stadium will also host a knockout match for the home side on July 2.

And if they win again, BC Place would also host Team Canada on July 7 in the round of 16.

Those matches could be among the biggest sporting events Vancouver has ever hosted on the international stage, alongside the 2010 Olympic gold medal hockey matches — although soccer’s truly global scale would potentially give them even more reach.

Before Wednesday’s Canada-Switzerland game, Vancouver hosts a group-stage match on Sunday between Egypt, featuring superstar Mohamed Salah, and New Zealand, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

British Columbia Premier David Eby says he’s hoarse from cheering on Canada in their 6-0 rout of Qatar on Thursday and he’s among those hoping for more home-team matches in Vancouver.

“We were hoping for a win and the team delivered beyond what any of us expected and of course now we just expect and want more,” he said at an unrelated news conference on Friday.

“And so, we’re really gonna be cheering super loud against Switzerland (and) wanting more games in Vancouver with Team Canada.”

He said the atmosphere in Vancouver was electric, and the province wants more.

Vancouver police said there were large crowds “all over the city” after the match.

They said four people on the Granville entertainment strip were taken to jail for public intoxication and six for breaching the peace on Thursday night, while six people were “ejected” from BC Place, three of them for intoxication.

“Overall, with the amount of people around Vancouver, police found the crowds peaceful and celebratory,” the department said in a statement on Friday.

Transit operator TransLink said ridership on its system was the highest on Thursday since early 2020.

It said there were more than 1.36 million boardings, an 18 per cent increase compared with a typical Thursday.

Boardings at the Bridgeport Canada Line Station were up more than 37 per cent from normal, the highest across the system.

Fans have been encouraged to take transit to games, since major roads around the stadium are shut.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2024.