Vancouver's 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown clock unveiled outside BC Place Stadium

Permanent "VANCOUVER" sign receives green light for installation before 2026 FIFA World Cup

Vancouver lands major FIFA event taking place right before 2026 World Cup

These countries have now qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, U.S., Mexico

All countdown clocks have an identical design — a vertical display on a stand featuring the 2026 logo with Vancouver’s unique tournament colours, a large see-through centre opening shaped after the iconic World Cup trophy, and the embedded digital clock atop.

The Vancouver clock is placed up against the stadium’s exterior wall, which has received a graphic backdrop.

Previously, Vancouver’s hosting of major international sporting events also featured official countdown clocks — including the OMEGA clock for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which was installed at the North Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery for years before being disassembled and placed in storage, and the clock for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup moved across various locations inside BC Place Stadium, Vancouver Convention Centre, and Vancouver International Airport.

Other 2026 countdown clocks within Canada will be located at Niagara Falls, which was also unveiled this morning, and at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto, which will be unveiled tomorrow.

Counting down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds… #WeAreVancouver #WeAre26 #FIFAWorldCuphttps://t.co/5bdKuL281W pic.twitter.com/D4BS3xrmy8

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) June 11, 2025

Some pageantry for this morning's one-year countdown ceremony… #WeAreVancouver #WeAre26 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/RlOAlskTul

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) June 11, 2025

“Bringing the greatest game and the greatest show on earth to our city is obviously an honour. It’s also an opportunity for this city to showcase what it is. Not only the beautiful city that we are and the multiculturalism that we have in this city, but also to show what this game means to the city,” said Victor Montagliani, the vice president of FIFA and president of Concacaf, during today’s one-year countdown ceremony at Terry Fox Plaza.

“It’s an honour to say that I’m from this city. And I have the honour of rising on the shoulders of every citizen in this city, because you make us very proud. And I know that in one year from now, that will be put on what I call steroids in terms of how we will show this city, how you will show this city.”

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also commended Montagliani for advocating for the city with his position as the second highest in command at FIFA — not only for lobbying the provincial government to change its mind to ultimately support Vancouver’s bid, but also landing the city both additional and very high-profile knockout matches beyond the initial group stage matches.

“I remember getting a call about a year ago, and Victor asked me, ‘So, Ken, what do you think we would like more, getting an opening game or the next two games?’ And I said, ‘Well, the next two games, of course.’ The reality is, he actually wasn’t listening to me. He already had it in his mind what he was going to do,” said Sim.

“But why that’s significant is, the way this is shaping up, we get two Team Canada games in the city of Vancouver. He also fought for a round of 32 and a round of 16 games. And we have a legitimate shot of winning our group stage, which means the round of 32 game will be a home game for Team Canada here in the city of Vancouver.”

The tournament kicks off in Mexico City on June 11, 2026, and the first-ever World Cup tournament match played on Canadian soil will be held the next day, June 12, at BMO Field in Toronto, which will host a total of five matches. Vancouver’s first match at BC Place Stadium will be played on the third day of the tournament, June 13.

Altogether, Vancouver will host a total of seven matches, including a Round of 32 match on July 2 and a Round of 16 match on July 7, which is the last match that will be played in the city. The championship final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey just outside of New York City on July 19. The 2026 tournament is being played with an expanded format — a total of 48 countries, representing an increase of 16.

In addition to the activity around downtown Vancouver anchored around the 54,000-seat BC Place Stadium, there will be a secondary major cluster of activity in East Vancouver. Vancouver’s official FIFA World Cup Fan Festival will be held at the PNE fairgrounds in Hastings Park, which takes advantage of the new 10,000-capacity covered outdoor amphitheatre — set to reach completion in Spring 2026.

As well, Vancouver Convention Centre will host the FIFA Congress in April 2026, which brings together high-profile FIFA executives, members, and representatives from about 200 countries and jurisdictions to discuss matters related to the international federation, including the awarding of the host countries for the FIFA Women’s World Cups of 2031 and 2035. Over 1,600 attendees are expected.

For the tournament period itself, Vancouver is expected to see an additional 350,000 visitors, with 45 per cent expected to be from outside Canada and the U.S. The provincial government expects nearly $1 billion in additional visitor spending and potentially up to $224 million in provincial tax revenues from both the increased visitor activity during the tournament and the increased tourism to B.C. over the subsequent years.

Ticket sales for the tournament are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025.

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