Bob Mackin
Canada’s FIFA World Cup 26 festivities unofficially kicked-off on the lawn of the Parliament Buildings in Victoria on March 31, with the Canada Celebrates tour test event.
The official FIFA Canada watch party with mascots, sponsor activations and tests of soccer skills is scheduled to tour up to 40 cities across Canada during the June 11-July 19 World Cup. The tour begins simultaneously in British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
Full schedule is to be announced. Organizers promise tour stops will be within a two-hour drive of three-quarters of Canada’s population.
On March 31, FIFA turned the lawn outside B.C.’s Parliament Buildings into a test event for the Canada Celebrates World Cup community watch party tour. In the background, the west annex, which houses Premier David Eby’s office.
During the Victoria event, fans watched Bosnia and Hercegovina defeat Italy in penalty kicks and Turkey blank Kosovo.
That means Bosnia and Hercegovina will meet Canada on June 12 in Toronto. Turkey will play Australia June 13 in Vancouver.
Sponsors on-site included Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Fuze iced tea and Hisense.
The B.C. NDP government used the occasion to announce $1.72 million in grants to 32 municipalities, regional districts and First Nations for free public watch parties during the U.S., Canada and Mexico-hosted tournament.
The grants range from $1,557 to the North Okanagan Regional District to $100,000 for Nelson.
The biggest grants, through another program, are $6 million each to the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh first nations. The agreement that led to the funding was signed on the day that Premier David Eby began campaigning for the 2024 provincial election.
Protesters disrupted the Vancouver 2010 Olympic torch relay when it launched the Canadian tour in Victoria in 2009.
During Canada Celebrates, anti-Israel protesters from the Coast Salish to Palestine group handed out leaflets condemning FIFA for awarding its Peace Prize to “warmonger-in-chief Donald Trump.”
The group wants the Canadian Soccer Association to “demand that FIFA kick out Israel.”
The leaflet makes no mention of FIFA’s March 19 sanctions against the Israel Football Association (IFA).
The IFA was fined 150,000 Swiss francs and ordered to display anti-racism messages at matches in Israel after the FIFA disciplinary committee decided that supporters of Israeli Premier League side Beitar Jerusalem contravened rules against discrimination and racist abuse.
“The decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.”
Coast Salish to Palestine has staged weekly protest marches and rallies outside the Legislature since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. After more than two years, the Victoria Police Department recently announced that it would stop escorting the protesters.
Also on March 31, ticket sales began for the official FIFA watch parties at the PNE Amphitheatre in Vancouver, the centrepiece of the FIFA Fan Festival in Hastings Park.
The tickets aren’t cheap, ranging from $44.25 for general admission lawn to $126.85 lower reserved seats and include a pre- or post-game concert.
The PNE watch parties are happening on 26 of the 39 tournament days. Space for 2,600 will be available free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Matches will also be screened on big screens elsewhere on the fairgrounds.
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