Thoughts turn to legacy as full-time whistle nears for Vancouver's World Cup

Vancouver is preparing for its World Cup swansong between Switzerland and Colombia on Tuesday, its seventh match of the tournament, after hosting thousands of fans from across Canada and around the world.

Beer and mimosas have been flowing on the eve of the round of 16 match, with fans crowding around televisions on patios along Granville Street to watch Spain edge past Portugal on Monday.

Granville has been packed on game days and the street’s pedestrianization, originally set to last until July 19, has been extended through the Labour Day weekend, with Mayor Ken Sim saying the city will explore temporarily bringing back the pedestrian zone in November for a Christmas market.

But not everyone is sold on the idea, as thoughts turn to the legacy of the tournament.

Coun. Pete Fry, a member of Vancouver’s Green Party, voted against the extension, saying the motion’s passage in a special meeting the day after it was posted publicly didn’t allow sufficient time for consultation with stakeholders.

Fry said the estimated price tag of the extension has meanwhile risen to $4.75 million, up from an original projection of $3.5 million.

“It’s an expensive undertaking. We’re talking somewhere in the neighbourhood of like $100,000 a day to keep this pedestrian plaza going through to Labour Day.”

Fry said the pedestrian zone has been “hugely successful” during the tournament, but once FIFA and its fans have packed up and left, it won’t have the same draw.

“One of the big challenges for Granville Street has been the sort of overwhelming proliferation of bars and nightclubs to the exclusion of a lot of other things, and what it’s meant is that there’s a lot less daytime activity,” he said in an interview.

While the city has long intended to look at how it could pedestrianize the street, “a lot of intentional work” must underpin the potential plan, he said.

While FIFA has not left a mark as extensive as that of the 2010 Olympics, which brought major infrastructure projects to Vancouver and region, Fry said the tournament has shown the city can play on a world-class stage.

For now, the street is lined with extended patios and soccer-themed decorations.

Sim wasn’t available for an interview on Monday but issued a statement saying the World Cup demonstrated what is possible when vibrant people-first spaces are created.

“During the tournament, Granville Street became one of the busiest and most energetic places in Canada, supporting local businesses, while creating an incredible experience for residents and visitors alike,” the statement said.

The mayor said last week that the extension of the pedestrian zone would allow the city to gather more data for its “long-term vision” for Granville Street.

While buildup to the tournament featured talk of the hosting price tag of up to $729 million, those concerns receded for many as the world’s biggest sporting event got underway.

The tournament has given Vancouver a series of memorable moments, from the revelry of Australian fans who swamped the city for its first match, to Canada’s six-goal rout of Qatar that set up the national team to progress to the knockout stages.

There were also massive marches of Canadian supporters to BC Place, while the makeover of Vancouver’s Science World dome as a soccer ball gave the tournament an iconic symbol that was broadcast the world over.

Canada’s 2-1 loss to Switzerland dashed Vancouver’s hopes of hosting the home team in the knockout rounds, while the Swiss have since made the city their de facto home base.

Tuesday’s round-of-16 match against Colombia will be Switzerland’s third consecutive appearance at BC Place, as well as FIFA’s final outing in Vancouver.

The national anthems for Canada and Switzerland are played before a World Cup Group B soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Timothy Matwey

Team Canada jerseys are never far from sight among fans who continue to take in matches along Granville Street and at the official FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE grounds in East Vancouver, drawing tens of thousands on busy days.

Surrey, B.C., resident Lynn Sloan grew up in Vancouver and returned to Granville Street, her teenage stomping grounds, to take in the festivities on Monday.

“It’s fun to be down here, and they’ve tried with little things,” she said of the decorations, including a large soccer ball made of tinsel garlands.

Yet she felt underwhelmed by the display. “I just feel like there could be more flags, more atmosphere down here. A little bit more activation,” she said.

As for the ultimate legacy of the World Cup? Fry said his answer depends on whether Vancouver can retain its Major League Soccer team, the Whitecaps — which are at risk of being sold to an American buyer.

“It would be a bit bittersweet if we ended up losing the ‘Caps,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2027.