Victoria to host Canada Celebrates the
FIFA World Cup 2026™ test event
Victoria is set to host a special one-day Canada Celebrates the FIFA World Cup 2026™ test event on Tuesday, 31 March, offering the community a free, family-friendly preview of the excitement building towards the FIFA World Cup 2026, with high-stakes match action to take centre stage during the event.
Fans are invited to gather to watch coverage of two of the four European play-off final showdowns for the FIFA World Cup 2026, including the game that will determine who Canada will face in their group-stage curtain-raiser in Toronto on 12 June.
A pilot activation for the countrywide initiative, the test event will transform the grounds of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia into a vibrant football hub, bringing fans together to connect, celebrate and experience the energy of the world’s biggest sporting event before it gets under way on 11 June.
Kick-off times of matches to be broadcast during Canada Celebrates test event on Tuesday, 31 March:
· 11:45: winners of Wales v. Bosnia and Herzegovina v. winners of Italy v. Northern Ireland
Live coverage of the contest that will determine who Canada will face in their tournament opener in Toronto on 12 June
· 14:00: winners of Slovakia v. Kosovo v. winners of Türkiye v. Romania
Full rerun of the match-up that will determine who Australia will meet in their
curtain-raiser in Vancouver on 13 June
· 16:30: Canada v. Tunisia
Live coverage of the friendly match in Toronto
Event details
What: Canada Celebrates the FIFA World Cup 2026 – Victoria test event
Where: The grounds of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
When: 11:00-19:00 on Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Cost: free
The full event programme will be announced during the week commencing 23 March.
About Canada Celebrates the FIFA World Cup 2026
Canada Celebrates the FIFA World Cup 2026 is a first-of-its-kind programme that will unite communities across the co-host country throughout the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, in celebration of the biggest FIFA World Cup™ in history.
Delivered as a series of free-to-the-public, one-day community celebrations across the country, Canada Celebrates will bring football fans together for live match viewings, football-themed activations, cultural programming, music, food and shared moments of national pride. As the country prepares to host its first FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico and the United States, Canada Celebrates will carry the energy, pride and passion that are synonymous with the tournament beyond the Host Cities of Toronto and Vancouver as part of this historic global occasion.