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canada vs. switzerland recap: swiss defeat canadians 2-1 after hard-fought second half

looking for live updates? you’re in the right place.
it was canada versus switzerland today in vancouver at the fifa world cup 2026.
postmedia will be covering all the world cup action in vancouver. follow along our match day live-blogs for updates from both inside and outside the stadium. hit the refresh button for the latest update. the latest news will be at the top.

read more coverage of fifa world cup in vancouver:

wednesday, june 24: switzerland versus canada

4:23: it’s a world cup coin toss for off campus breakout star stephen kalyn
life is good for vancouver-based actor stephen kalyn.
the breakout star of prime video’s hit hockey romance series off campus was a “coca-cola coin toss ambassador” at the world cup coin toss for the canada vs. switzerland game at b.c. place on wednesday.
kalyn and co-stars were also spotted at b.c. place for egypt’s 3-1 win over new zealand on june 21.
“it’s an honour to be part of a moment that unites the world. as a canadian, this tournament hits differently. the fifa world cup coming to our home country is something we’ve dreamed about for a long time, and being here to celebrate it as a coca-cola coin toss ambassador makes this moment even more special,” kalyn said in a statement. “the fifa world cup is bigger than any one sport or any one country. the energy and community reminds you of the power that sport has to bring people together.”
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3:10 p.m.: the saddest moment of triumph ever for canada
canada is through to the knockout round for the first time in three trips to the world cup. it should be a moment of celebration and joy, but emotions were muted wednesday at b.c. place after switzerland won 2-1 in their final group b game.
the result means the swiss are in the knockout round for their six straight cup, a remarkable show of consistency.
2:57 p.m.: fans head home
granville street is so packed that the crowd of people is barely moving, as many fans try to head home after canada’s loss on a balmy afternoon.
as crowds trickle out of the stadium, the mood is a far cry from the jubilation after canada crushed qatar last week, but the canadian fans don’t seem too deflated. most of them are pretty upbeat and looking forward to the next match — they’re just disappointed that the loss means canada’s next game won’t be at b.c. place again.
—oksana shtohryn, dan fumano
2:15 p.m.: fans disappointed with loss
discarded paper fans, empty food containers and trampled cups littered the floor, perhaps alongside some tears, as fans filed out of canada soccer house, disappointed with the home team’s 2-1 loss.
but people were still grateful that canada will proceed to the round of 32, despite the loss.
“canada doesn’t have the talent, but the game was exciting ,” said iani makris, who brought his young daughters nefeli and maelle to watch the game.
“i’m disappointed they didn’t play (alfonso) davies, but at least we’re through and he’s rested.”
tanja hasler and tim stroh left kamloops at 5 a.m. wednesday, driving straight to north vancouver’s canada soccer house to watch the game.
“we made a bet,” hasler said.
she was born in switzerland, moving to canada when she was three. he is born and raised in canada.
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they brought a cardboard flag with the maple leaf on one side, and the swiss cross on the other.
“i’m super excited for switzerland, but at the same time i’m super excited for canada because they got through,” hasler said of outcome. “for me, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
stroh was a hit more subdued.
“i’m sad. i’m a strong canadian. they did the best they could. i’m supportive of switzerland because of my partner, so i’m a little bit happy for her,” he laughed.
 harry eigbike is originally from nigeria and now lives in dallas, texas. he attended the june 24, 2026 world cup match between canada and switzerland at b.c. place in vancouver, b.c.
harry eigbike is originally from nigeria and now lives in dallas, texas. he attended the june 24, 2026 world cup match between canada and switzerland at b.c. place in vancouver, b.c. dan fumano / png
harry eigbike, originally from nigeria and now living in dallas, texas, thought it was a good game, but a little too quiet.
“canadian fans need to be more vocal, even when you’re losing.” eigbike said. “you need to be the 12th man.”
american fans are louder, he said, and nigerian fans are much, much louder.
“you guys need to have a song. it’s just ‘lets go canada,’” he said.
still, he said, the crowd was friendly and the city is beautiful.
longtime canadian soccer fan michael emmott said that despite the loss, he’s proud of how far the men’s national team has come, and finishing second in the group is a real accomplishment.
“we’ve seen them not even be anything on the world stage. this is everything,” said emmott, who grew up playing soccer around metro vancouver. “just to see them do this is making my heart explode. i’m so proud of these guys.”
 from left – leo pielak, 16, sawyer cork, 16, and luke jeong, 15, inside canada soccer house in north vancouver, b.c. after watching the canada and switzerland 2026 world cup match on granville street.
from left – leo pielak, 16, sawyer cork, 16, and luke jeong, 15, inside canada soccer house in north vancouver, b.c. after watching the canada and switzerland 2026 world cup match on granville street. lori culbert / png
leo pielak, 16, who watched the game with his friends on granville street, said the loss was “a bummer” but hope is still alive canada can clinche another win as the team will advance to round 2.
“the odds aren’t that low because we are moving on to the next round,” he said, his red face faint smudged by the boisterous crowds and the heat of the day.
he and his buddies play hockey in north vancouver, but believe vancouver hosting the world cup has really boosted local interest in soccer.
“i’ve had so much fun watching the games with my friends,” said sawyer cork, 16.
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—lori culbert, dan fumano
1:57: switzerland wins
derek cornelius, no doubt, is going to be ruing this one. he was this close three or four times in the late going, as canada pressed for the tying goal. alastair johnston might want his chance again too: what happens if he’s able to head it down to bounce off the ground rather than straight ahead?
anyway, canada’s run in vancouver is over: they’re off to l.a. as the second-placed team in group b. switzerland take first and will stay in vancouver for the round of 32 match on july 2.
also, it must be said: how did max crepeau struggle to stop the second swiss goal? it was a difficult save but he got two hands on it. canada was great in the final 25 minutes or so, but not great enough.
it was a madhouse in north vancouver as canada pummelled shot after shot at the net, but the switzerland keeper kept stopping them all.
 fans at north vancouver’s canada soccer house watch on as canada and switzerland head into six minutes of stoppage time during a group b match for the 2026 world cup in vancouver, b.c. on june 24, 2026.
fans at north vancouver’s canada soccer house watch on as canada and switzerland head into six minutes of stoppage time during a group b match for the 2026 world cup in vancouver, b.c. on june 24, 2026. lori culbert / png
after the game, canadian fans at b.c. place clapped and cheered to show appreciation for their team.
 fans are pictured inside b.c. place on june 24, 2026 applauding canada after the team lost 2-1 to switzerland in a group b match for the 2026 world cup in vancouver, b.c.
fans are pictured inside b.c. place on june 24, 2026 applauding canada after the team lost 2-1 to switzerland in a group b match for the 2026 world cup in vancouver, b.c. dan fumano / png
granville street filled again the moment the whistle blew, and the mood held up. the energy was muted compared with the roar that met canada’s goal: a scattering of cheers and whistles, canadian flags still waving over a street full of easy chatter. disappointment, maybe, but the good spirits never really left.
draped in red and white and carrying large canadian flags, benjamin sobering and kylie wawryk spent the match peeking over shoulders for a glimpse of a screen — more caught up in the crowd than the score.
“i’d rather we win, but i’m pretty confident we still made it to the next stage,” sobering said.
—patrick johnston, lori culbert, dan fumano, oksana shtohryn 
1:46: swiss make final subs
swiss have made their final subs, taking their super impressive forward duo of manzambi and embolo off and bringing on some fresh legs in cedric itten and christian fassnacht. the swiss are going to run a single striker now, as they look to clog up the middle of the field and play with defending in mind.
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the crowd at canada soccer house is solidly behind the hometown team, cheering loudly every time a canadian player touches the ball.
meanwhile in seattle, the bosnians have scored again, setting them out 3-1 over qatar in seattle.
—patrick johnston, lori culbert
1:35: goal!
goal canada!! a brilliant over the top ball from luc de fougerolles to nathan saliba finally springs a hole in the swiss defensive line and the crafty midfielder crosses across the face of the swiss goal, where promise david fires out his right foot to drive the ball into the swiss goal. game on. can the canadians conjure a miracle here?
and just like that, fans in canada soccer house are back in the game with canada scoring half way through the second to narrow switzerland’s lead 2-1.
deafening shouts of “canada!” echo through the vibrating venue.
“we’re still in it!” hopeful fans yelled.
—patrick johnston, lori culbert
1:34 p.m.:  david set to come on
just before the hydration break, canada was really starting to press, though the swiss are doing a good job of taking away that final touch. the three subs have made a difference in terms of energy. promise david is set to come on to give canada three strikers. shaffelburg, jayden nelson, jonathan osorio and moise bombito have joined blake shaffelburg and niko sigur in the pitch side warmup area.
—patrick johnston
1:18 p.m.: switzerland scores again
this game is now looming as a total disaster: another defensive miscue by canada leads to another swiss goal. the swiss have been trying all game to spring breaks over the top of the canadian centre backs. finally breel embolo gets his foot on a ball that drifts just over the head of luc de fougerolles and he gets into the canadian 18 yard box.
the scrambling canadians keep him from shooting, but the ball comes to johan manzambi, who fires a low shot that max crepeau gets two hands on but can’t keep from bouncing into the canadian goal.
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fans have lost some energy at canada soccer house as canada trails switzerland 2-0.
—patrick johnston, lori culbert
1:00 p.m.: switzerland scores, game 1-0
game on! switzerland opens the scoring in the first minute of the second half as the canadians are completely caught out in defence and nobody backtracks on swiss star rueben vargas.
vargas has plenty of time and hammers a low shot past max crepeau. swiss lead 1-0 and hold first place in the group for now.
the crowd at canada soccer house grew very quiet after switzerland scored, the goal clearly leaving previously energetic fans feeling a bit deflated. the second goal was a gut punch.
on the sidelines, liam miller, tani oluwaseyi, stephen eustaquio, blake shaffelburg and niko sigur could be seen warming up on the sidelines. no sign of alphonso davies at the moment.
— patrick johnston
12:51 p.m.: 0-0 at halftime
and that’s half time here at b.c. place.
switzerland generally carried the play, but never really had any clear chances as the canadian defence bent, but didn’t break.
canada’s having a decent time getting the ball up field when it’s at the feet of ali ahmed or luc de fougerolles, but the absence of stephen eustaquio (suspected illness) and especially ismael kone (broken leg) in the centre of midfield is very obvious. even so, canada needs only a draw from this match to win the group and secure another home game here on july 2 in the round of 32.
drummers riled up fans in canada soccer house who shouted “go canada go!” at the start of the game, but by the end of the first half the 5,000-strong crowd appeared desperate for the home team to score.
people clamped their hands down on their canada hats and other decorative head gear, loudly sighing, as canada failed to score on several good chances in the first 45 minutes.
over at granville street, decked out in matching maple-leaf overalls and red straw cowboy hats, best friends colin bedard and william cortesi spilled out of one pub at halftime, already plotting their move to the next.
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both from quebec, the pair landed in vancouver about a year ago and fell hard for it. “we just fell in love with the city,” said cortesi. with the street closed to traffic and packed shoulder to shoulder, he said it could pass for europe: “honestly, this gives europe vibes.”
bedard, scanning for the next screen, liked canada’s chances in the scoreless match. “both teams have their chances, but we have to win,” he said. “they’re playing in vancouver today — so we’ll do it for the country.”
meanwhile, in seattle, qatar is on the score board.
edmilson collects the ball just to the left of the bosnian goal, then centres it to hassan al haydos, who bashes the ball through a bosnia defender and into the net for his 40th career goal. it’s 2-1 bosnia as we near the half. good chance that qatari goal ends any hope of bosnia pulling off a wild climb back in the group standings.
— patrick johnston, lori culbert, oksana shtohryn
12:48 p.m.: back at b.c. place
canada finally putting some consistent control on the ball. just had couple nice chances as the strikers are finally getting some service. too many heavy first touches from the team in general, but jesse marsch will be happier with his team’s flow over the past five minutes or so.
— patrick johnston
12:40 p.m.: bosnia leads against qatar
bosnia is up 2-0 vs. qatar.
in seattle, bosnian player kerim alajbegovic dribbles across the top of the penalty area and just hammers the ball at the bottom corner. mahmud abunada was maybe out of position a little; either way he can’t stop it and bosnia are locking in on third place and possibly a spot in the round of 32.
for the next goal: bosnian legend edin dzeko put the ball towards the goal, where it’s deflected into the goal by qatari defender sultan al-brake. bosnia in full control at 2-0.
this match only matters if there’s somehow a nine-goal swing against canada, like bosnia beating qatar 6-0 and canada losing 3-0 to switzerland. in that scenario canada would finish the group in third and bosnia would steal second.
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— patrick johnston
12:12 p.m.: action underway
 fans stream towards b.c place stadium in anticipation of the canada vs. switzerland game.
fans stream towards b.c place stadium in anticipation of the canada vs. switzerland game. jason payne / png
first big chance of the game as breel embolo is sprung through, turning richie lareya wrong-footed, but max crepeau makes himself big and stops the shot eight yards out.
the rebound falls to johan manzambi, but derek cornelius blocks the shot to keep it scoreless.
on a packed patio under fifa world cup umbrellas, fans on granville street wearing red leapt up, hands in the air, half-relief and half-celebration.
canada responds with a chance of their own, with cyle larin sprung on a breakaway, but gregor kobel gets a foot to it as he tries to go around him and breaks up the chance.
 fans on a granville street patio react to an attempt on goal at the 11th minute with relief and celebration.
fans on a granville street patio react to an attempt on goal at the 11th minute with relief and celebration. oksana shtohryn / png
before the game, vancouver mayor ken sim said the atmosphere at the world cup has so far been “absolutely amazing.”
“i don’t think our country has ever seen anything like it,” sim said, walking towards b.c. place in the middle of a dense crowd.
“how many people are here? tens of thousands of people here, before the biggest game in canadian soccer history, in our home town. how cool is that?”
the mayor confessed he might have a slight bias, but he believes vancouver has so far been the best of the 16 host cities.
— j.j. adams, dan fumano, oksana shtohryn
12 p.m.: switzerland and canada kick off in vancouver
let’s go! the action is underway as canada and switzerland hit the pitch on wednesday afternoon at b.c. place stadium.
just before kickoff at b.c. place, the bertrand family from langley was ready to cheer on the home team.
mom leah says they pulled nine-year-old nash out of school when they got last-minute tickets for wednesday’s match because this is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” “this is a core memory,” she said.
 jason bertrand, children nyah and nash and leah bertrand snagged last-minute tickets to the canada-switzerland game at b.c. place.
jason bertrand, children nyah and nash and leah bertrand snagged last-minute tickets to the canada-switzerland game at b.c. place. dan fumano / png
even those without tickets were enjoying the vibe in the heart of downtown. as the teams walked onto the pitch, granville street’s bars erupted — whistling, clapping and chants of “let’s go, canada” spilling out onto the street. when switzerland took the field, the cheers turned to boos.
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for zainab dadgari, the trip up from california is something of a homecoming. she grew up in ottawa and montreal before moving south, and came back with her kids for the world cup.
 zainab dadgari and her husband sam, who travelled from california with their two children, take in the atmosphere on granville street on wednesday, before canada plays switzerland at b.c. place.
zainab dadgari and her husband sam, who travelled from california with their two children, take in the atmosphere on granville street on wednesday, before canada plays switzerland at b.c. place. oksana shtohryn / png
“it feels nice to be home,” she said, cheering for canada amid the granville street crowd. “it’s a great atmosphere, and we love that the stadium’s right downtown.”
they came to granville, she said, because “we heard it’s really fun — kind of a party area.”
at north vancouver’s canada soccer house, raucous chants of “canada! canada! canada!” erupted at the opening kickoff.
red-and-white clad fans are standing shoulder to shoulder in the packed 5,000-person venue. they’re using free paper flags, handed out at the event, to fan themselves, as the day — and the game — heats up.
— oksana shtohryn, lori culbert
 outside of b.c. place, mounties can be seen posing with canada fans ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 group b match.
outside of b.c. place, mounties can be seen posing with canada fans ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 group b match. dan fumano / png
11:50 a.m.: excitement grows as kickoff draws near
we are t -10 minutes to game time. announcers just asked the crowd to make some noise, and surprisingly the decibel metre only reached 105, whereas it hit as high as 143 for other previous games.
but there’s still time until kickoff.
downtown, lawrence reck waved an oversized canadian flag above the granville street crowd, soaking it in.
“it’s such a great atmosphere — we’re so lucky to host this,” said reck, a local from west vancouver. “it brings all cultures and races together. all differences are put aside during this world cup.”
he comes by his split loyalties honestly: his father is swiss. “i have mixed feelings, so no matter what, it’s a win-win,” he said. “but i’d really like to see canada win.”
 lawrence reck waves a canadian flag on granville street.
lawrence reck waves a canadian flag on granville street. oksana shtohryn / png
in north vancouver, farya amiri, from vancouver, brought her mother, rezvan kargosha, to canada soccer house wednesday.
kargosha just arrived in canada on tuesday for a visit from iran, and was “very excited” to watch the game in her new canada shirt, a gift from her daughter.
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— j.j. adams, oksana shtohryn
 farya amiri, left, from vancouver brought her mother rezvan kargosha to canada soccer house where kargosha sports a new canada shirt, a gift from her daughter.
farya amiri, left, from vancouver brought her mother rezvan kargosha to canada soccer house where kargosha sports a new canada shirt, a gift from her daughter. lori culbert / png
11:16 a.m.: fans enjoy ‘electric’ atmosphere downtown and inside stadium
when approached, brothers arthur and leo szabo were juggling a soccer ball in the middle of granville, shirtless with the canadian flag painted across their chests.
“look around — there’s so many people, it’s lively,” said arthur, a university of b.c. student from bowen island, b.c.
leo, a diehard footy fan, came for the buzz. “it’s electric down here,” he said. “if we win this game, the scenes are gonna be unreal.”
 brothers leo, centre, and arthur szabo, left, of bowen island juggle a soccer ball on granville street in vancouver, their chests painted with the canadian flag.
brothers leo, centre, and arthur szabo, left, of bowen island juggle a soccer ball on granville street in vancouver, their chests painted with the canadian flag. oksana shtohryn / png
meanwhile, the canadian team comes out to loud cheers in a quarter-full b.c. place stadium, but the loudest cheers are reserved for ismaël kone, who is pushed down the sideline in a wheelchair.
he waves to the crowd, and the ovation is loud and massive from the canadian fans, many of whom marched to the stadium with giant cut out head pictures of him.
 vancouver fire chief karen fry, right, with deputy chief scott hendrickson are pictured on the last mile near science world on wednesday ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 match.
vancouver fire chief karen fry, right, with deputy chief scott hendrickson are pictured on the last mile near science world on wednesday ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 match. dan fumano / png
just outside the stadium, vancouver fire chief karen fry and deputy chief scott hendrickson watched over the crowds on the last mile.
fry says other than the fans who smuggled a smoke bomb into last sunday’s egypt-new zealand match at b.c. place, fans have mostly been “behaving and having fun and showing why vancouver’s the best host city.”
— lori culbert, j.j. adams, dan fumano, oksana shtohryn
11 a.m.: anticipation builds at fan zones across metro vancouver
 fans can be seen lining up to buy canada soccer jerseys in north vancouver at the canada soccer house fan zone.
fans can be seen lining up to buy canada soccer jerseys in north vancouver at the canada soccer house fan zone. lori culbert / png
iani makris pulled his daughters nefeli, 5, and two-year-old maelle out of school wednesday to bring them to canada soccer house, which was nearing its 5,000-person capacity an hour before kickoff.
 nefeli makris, 5, (left) and her two-year-old sister maelle are pictured with dad iani at canada soccer house in north vancouver.
nefeli makris, 5, (left) and her two-year-old sister maelle are pictured with dad iani at canada soccer house in north vancouver. lori culbert / png
“i think it’s special for them to see. this is a once in a life time experience,” said makris, who attended the world cup in brazil. “if canada gets to the round of 32, it’s going to be very special. growing up, canada has never had a good team.”
but the lifelong soccer fan has high hopes for the home team this year.
 donna and donald balanecki cheering on team canada at canada soccer house in north vancouver.
donna and donald balanecki cheering on team canada at canada soccer house in north vancouver. lori culbert / png
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donna balanecki has never really been a big soccer fan.
“but we’re canada fans.” and her passion for the country, and the desire to cheer on its national team, intensified after canada defied expectations in last week’s historic 6-0 thumping of qatar.
“i think nobody really anticipated that canada could show up. but after the last game, it got everyone excited,” the north vancouver resident said as she prepared to watch wednesday’s game inside canada soccer house with her husband donald.
 soccer fans gather on granville street in advance of the world cup game today between canada and switzerland.
soccer fans gather on granville street in advance of the world cup game today between canada and switzerland. gord mcintyre / submitted
back in downtown vancouver, you can feel the game before you can see a single screen.
blocks from the granville street pedestrian zone, seymour and richards streets are already running red and white — fans in jerseys and flags moving through downtown toward granville, all pulled the same way by a noon kickoff.
 soccer fans gather on granville street in advance of the world cup game today between canada and switzerland.
soccer fans gather on granville street in advance of the world cup game today between canada and switzerland. gord mcintyre / submitted
at a crosswalk, a car rolls past with passengers bursting up through the sunroof, canadian flags in hand, whistling and whooping at no one and everyone.
on granville street itself, the crowd thickens. lines snake out the doors of the pubs, as fans try to grab a screen and a seat before kickoff.
— oksana shtohryn and lori culbert
10:45 a.m.: captain canada set to return to play 
alphonso davies is expected to step on the pitch for the canada vs. switzerland game.
the canadian team captain hasn’t played in any of the earlier world cup matches as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained while playing for bayern munich in may. he stayed on the bench for last week’s match against qatar. but not today.
 alphonso davies walks onto the pitch before the fifa world cup 2026 group b match between canada and qatar at b.c. place on june 18, 2026.
alphonso davies walks onto the pitch before the fifa world cup 2026 group b match between canada and qatar at b.c. place on june 18, 2026. fran santiago / getty images
asked whether there was any scenario in which the captain wouldn’t see the field, head coach jesse marsch left little doubt. “i would like to get him into the match for sure,” he told reporters.
when davies steps onto the pitch, it will mark his first game in seven weeks and his first time playing back at home for canada in nearly two years.
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— patrick johnston
10:15 a.m.: spotted: vancouver mayor ken sim, karina leblanc join march
 photo by dan fumano / png
photo by dan fumano / png dan fumano / png
vancouver mayor ken sim, in sunglasses and patriotic red, is seen holding a voyageurs banner as supporters march towards b.c. place. on his right is former canadian women’s national team soccer player karina leblanc.
b.c. premier david eby was also among the throngs of people headed to b.c. place.
10 a.m.: voyageurs march begins, canada soccer house opens
chants of “ole olé olé” are ringing out at quebec street and terminal avenue as the voyageurs’ march gets set to start. red smoke bombs have been lit, lending a surreal atmosphere. there’s a whiff of gunpowder in the air from the smoke.
 vancouver, bc: june 24, 2026 — fans stream towards bc place stadium in anticipation of game between canada and switzerland during fifa world cup 2026 in vancouver, bc wednesday, june 24, 2026.
vancouver, bc: june 24, 2026 — fans stream towards bc place stadium in anticipation of game between canada and switzerland during fifa world cup 2026 in vancouver, bc wednesday, june 24, 2026. jason payne / png
 voyageurs fans marching toward b.c. place on june 24, 2026 ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 group b match.
voyageurs fans marching toward b.c. place on june 24, 2026 ahead of the canada-switzerland world cup 2026 group b match. patrick johnston / png
meanwhile, canada soccer house in north vancouver’s shipyard commons is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. by 9:30 a.m., there were sizable lineups at all the security gates. the crowd is a mix of young and old. but attendees had one thing in common — everyone is wearing red.
lineups were reportedly longer at other venues. a fifa volunteer said there were 500 people in line by 9:45 a.m. to get into the granville island watch party, which holds 1,000 people.
chris losonczi, 16, was among the hundreds of fans who flocked early to canada soccer house in north vancouver, arriving about two hours before the big game at noon.
chris, who is visiting from hungary with his brother vincent barskso, 8, and his grandmother, said the venue was perfect to watch canada take on switzerland.
“i like the world cup feeling. it think this is a great place, next to the ocean.”
 vincent barakso, 8, from hungary, practised his striker skills at an uber eats shooting station at canada soccer house in north vancouver on june 24, 2026.
vincent barakso, 8, from hungary, practised his striker skills at an uber eats shooting station at canada soccer house in north vancouver on june 24, 2026. lori culbert / png
— lori culbert and patrick johnston
9:30 a.m.: fans heading over to b.c. place and other fan sites
more fans are beginning to gather ahead of today’s match, with pockets of red converging around downtown vancouver.
a sold-out hullo ferry is bringing a boatload of canadian fans from nanaimo to downtown vancouver, while more supporters are hopping on buses and skytrain as they make their way toward b.c. place and other fan zones across town.
 maureen manning joins the line for the sold-out hullo ferry, bringing a boatload of canada fans from nanaimo to vancouver for the 2026 world cup group b match between canada and switzerland on june 24, 2026.
maureen manning joins the line for the sold-out hullo ferry, bringing a boatload of canada fans from nanaimo to vancouver for the 2026 world cup group b match between canada and switzerland on june 24, 2026. ian powell
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translink reported a 7.8 per cent jump in transit ridership during the first week of the world cup, with match days driving the biggest spike at 13.6 per cent.
downtown vancouver stations saw a 23 per cent jump in usage, while trips to and from ferry terminals increased 13.4 per cent, reflecting a boost in travel from vancouver island and the sunshine coast.

video: see fans gather at the fifa last mile ahead of canada-switzerland game

 a different kind of rush hour: crowds pack the millennium line in burnaby headed to downtown vancouver on wednesday morning.
a different kind of rush hour: crowds pack the millennium line in burnaby headed to downtown vancouver on wednesday morning. patrick johnston / png
9:20 a.m.: voyageurs fan club ready and waiting for pre-game march
it looks like the voyageurs fans definitely had a breakfast of champions on wednesday morning.
countless fans, clad in red and white, have already filled switchmen street, where they await the pre-game march toward b.c. place.
hope they’re hydrating because it is a hot one out there, with temperatures already in the low to mid 20s as of 9:20 a.m.
8:30 a.m.: tribute to kone with thousands of #8s
expect a sea of #8s at b.c. place later today as supporters rally behind injured canadian midfielder ismael koné.
the voyageurs will be distributing thousands of #8 cards for fans to hold up during the national anthem to honour koné and show support for the canadian squad. fans can pick up the numbers outside fionn maccool’s on main street, where a banner will also be available for signing alongside flags.
the group will then march toward b.c. place from quebec and switchmen streets at 9:15 a.m. don’t forget to wear red!
8 a.m.: the last mile fan zone opens to public
the last mile, a pedestrian-only corridor and fan zone for both ticket holders and non-ticket holders, opens four hours before kick off.
doors to b.c. place stadium will open today at 9 a.m., three hours before kick off.
8 a.m.: top spot in group b up for grabs 
four hours to go before kickoff when canada and switzerland battle it out for first place in group b.
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switzerland isn’t considered a world cup powerhouse but has been one of the most consistent teams, making their sixth straight world cup appearance.
both teams enter the match with four points after two games, with canada sitting atop the group thanks to its decisive 6-0 win over qatar. switzerland drew qatar 1-1 and routed bosnia and herzegovina 4-1.
a draw today would be enough for canada to finish top of the group, and stay in vancouver for the next round.
b.c. place has recorded sellout crowds of 52,497 fans for its first three games, and today’s noon-time match isn’t expected to be any different.
a few hundred last-minute tickets are still available on resale sites. single tickets start at about $880 on stubhub and range from $800 to $2,770 on seatgeek.
6 a.m.: heading out on match day? find out the best way to get to b.c. place today
the canada vs. switzerland group-stage match at b.c. place on wednesday kicks off at noon and is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to downtown vancouver this morning.
from b.c. place and granville street to the fifa fan festival at hastings park and other watch parties, there will be plenty of spots to watch the game with a crowd. here’s a handy guide to help you get around to soccer hot spots via transit.
read more:
if you’re having trouble deciding where to go, here’s: a guide to metro vancouver’s three top gathering spots to watch the game.

here’s a map of fifa match day traffic closures

 here’s a map of fifa vancouver’s match day traffic closures.
here’s a map of fifa vancouver’s match day traffic closures.

what’s happening on social media

postmedia will be covering all the world cup action in vancouver. follow along our match day live-blogs for updates from both inside and outside the stadium.

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