Canada's World Cup Breakthrough Turns Vancouver Into a Citywide Soccer Party

Tens of thousands of Canada supporters and many Vancouver residents celebrated late into the night after Canada beat Qatar 6-0, its first-ever World Cup victory. The atmosphere at BC Place in downtown Vancouver was described as electric, and the city was already dressed in red and Canadian flags before kickoff. After the final whistle, fans poured into the streets singing loudly as they headed toward bars, restaurants, and other nightlife spots, while many more locals watched on television screens set up throughout the city.

The win came in a match that became the biggest in Canadian men’s soccer history and, according to the report, effectively put Canada among the tournament’s last 32. Qatar was reduced to nine players, and after the serious injury to Ismail Kone, Canada controlled much of the game by surrounding the Qatar box and turning nearly every touch into a scoring chance. Fans in the stands were said to have been in disbelief at what they were seeing.

The celebration was compared to Vancouver’s last huge public sporting party, the 2010 Winter Olympics, when the city erupted after Canada beat the United States in the gold medal hockey game. Some locals said this celebration felt even bigger and more important because of the history being made. The mood was also sustained by a long, multicultural party atmosphere that began in the morning and intensified after the match.

Local food and drink businesses reported record sales, surprised by the rush of revelers. In the east end, the fan festival park, which draws about 20,000 viewers a day to watch matches on giant screens, was also packed. Canada’s strong start in the World Cup has driven record sales of the team’s red shirts, with manufacturers struggling to keep up, and there were long lines at the stadium for Canada jerseys and other team merchandise. Vancouver will host Canada’s next match against Switzerland next week, a game that will decide who finishes first in the group, and expectations are for an even bigger frenzy.