Updated: 2026-06-17｜Real-time information is subject to official announcements
Once the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Vancouver kicked off, downtown’s Granville Street became the liveliest place in the city. The city government, working with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (Downtown Van), closed off the stretch of road from West Georgia Street to Davie Street—five blocks in total—to vehicle traffic and turned it into a pedestrian zone. The event runs from June 11 all the way through July 19, with free admission. According to a Daily Hive reporter’s on-site observations, the lineups have been nonstop since opening, and the open-air seats along the street are nearly impossible to come by.
I’ve lived in Vancouver for a few years and have walked Granville Street plenty of times before, but the atmosphere this time really was different. The more than 25 extended open-air seating areas (patios) on both sides of the street fill up from noon onward; outside the restaurants and bars, fans line up hoping to wait for a seat, and crowds stand in front of the big screens watching the game with a drink in hand. This time the city specially planned each of the five blocks around a different theme: the end near Georgia Street is “Selfie Central,” perfect for photo ops; the middle has the forest-themed “Enchanted Forest” and the soccer-themed “Game On”; and heading south it connects to the handmade-art area “Awesome Art” and the rainbow installation “Rainbow Realness.” Walking the whole length feels like a street carnival rather than just a place to watch the game.
Besides watching matches on the big screens, there are also market stalls and local shops offering food and drink on-site. Live performances are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (except on days when Vancouver has a home match), with additional pop-up shows on weekends. One reminder: this Granville pedestrian zone and the official FIFA Fan Festival are two different locations. The official Fan Festival is set up at the PNE (2901 E Hastings Street) in a newly built open-air amphitheatre that holds about 10,000 people, also with free admission—so you can plan to visit both. If you’d like to compare other options, this site’s complete roundup of where to watch in Canada has a fuller list.
For getting there, taking the SkyTrain is the most hassle-free way. The exit at the Expo Line’s Granville Station is practically right in the middle of the pedestrian zone, while the Canada Line’s Vancouver City Centre Station is one block east and an easy walk over. Note that, due to the road closure, TransLink buses that originally ran along Granville Street have been rerouted to Seymour Street and Howe Street, with temporary bus-only lanes added; before taking the bus, it’s best to check the adjusted stop locations first. If you drive yourself, public parking lots near the venue fill up easily on match days—it’s advisable to set out early, or first use a parking app like EasyPark to check for open spots. The hour before a match starts is usually the peak crowd time, so if you’re bringing children or companions with mobility difficulties, it’s best to avoid this window when coming and going from downtown.
A few other practical things are smoother to spell out in advance: the pedestrian zone is a public space with free entry and no ticket required, but the city reserves the right to adjust crowd controls based on on-site foot traffic, and during busy periods entry may be staggered. Within the zone, under a temporary permit issued by the City of Vancouver, there may be designated alcohol-consumption areas—please follow the on-site signage and staff instructions, and do not bring your own glass containers or large luggage. The open-air areas are also affected by the weather; in heavy rain or strong winds, the opening status of some areas may be adjusted on short notice. The zone’s opening hours, the programming in each area, and whether additional traffic controls will be in place are all ultimately subject to official announcements from the City of Vancouver and FIFA, so the safest bet is to check the day’s real-time information before setting out.
This article was compiled by Let's Canada and is not a reprint of the original. Sources: Daily Hive, City of Vancouver. For actual schedules, ticketing, and broadcast information, please refer to official announcements.
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