FIFA World Cup riders to hear Christine Sinclair as the voice of SkyTrain, buses | Daily Hive

FIFA World Cup riders to hear Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair as the voice of SkyTrain, buses, and SeaBus

Christine Sinclair. (TransLink)

Metro Vancouver’s public transit system is embracing the spirit of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair set to be featured in automated voice announcements across the network.

TransLink announced today that Sinclair will serve as a “guest voice” throughout the five-week tournament, running between June 11 and July 19.

Passengers travelling to BC Place Stadium on match days, as well as to the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE fairgrounds in Hastings Park, will hear Sinclair’s voice on buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and the West Coast Express commuter rail, guiding them to key destinations.

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Vancouver will host a total of seven matches, including five group stage matches (June 13, 18, 21, 24, and 26), a round of 32 knockout match (July 2), and a round of 16 knockout match (July 7).

Sinclair will also appear on digital screens at SkyTrain stations and in social media videos, offering helpful transit tips and encouraging a smooth travel experience.

“FIFA World Cup 2026 Vancouver will bring the world to our region, and transit will be a key part of that experience from the moment customers step on board,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn in a statement today.

“We’re not just moving people to the action, we’re bringing the energy of the tournament onto the system. Hearing Christine Sinclair’s voice along the way makes that experience feel uniquely local and unmistakably Canadian.”

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The last time the public transit system had a guest voice was in 2018, when Vancouver’s very own Seth Rogen lent his voice to provide etiquette and tips while using the SkyTrain and buses.

TransLink announced today that Sinclair’s involvement is part of its plans to provide the public transit system with a FIFA-themed layer, with special announcements, new wayfinding signage, live performances, and special announcements to create a more connected and immersive tournament atmosphere.

The special performances — including Canadian Olympic gold medalist and hip-hop dancer Phil Wizard — will be made at public transit hubs on select dates and times:

DJ Kookum — Saturday, June 13, 6 p.m., Waterfront Station
Kathleen Nisbet — Thursday, June 18, 12:30 p.m., Surrey Central Station
Balkan Schmalkhan band — Sunday, June 21, 3:30 p.m., Broadway—City Hall Station
Hip-hop dancer and Olympic gold medalist Phil Wizard — Wednesday, June 24, 9:30 a.m., Lonsdale Quay SeaBus Terminal
Dellakit — Friday, June 26, 5:30 p.m., Renfrew Station
Yuki the Juggler & Alvin Brendan — Thursday, July 2, 5:30 p.m., 29th Avenue Station
Swing band, Brass Tax — Tuesday, July 7, 10:30 a.m., Bridgeport Station

Public transit services during the FIFA World Cup

Earlier this year, TransLink unveiled its comprehensive operations plan to deliver significantly enhanced service throughout the tournament.

SkyTrain service will be ramped up considerably, especially before and after matches at BC Place Stadium. During peak, game-related periods, trains through downtown Vancouver stations are expected to run as frequently as every two minutes. On evenings when matches kick off at 8 p.m. or later, SkyTrain service will be extended by an additional hour.

Due to security perimeters and crowd control measures around the stadium, the Expo Line’s Stadium-Chinatown Station and the Canada Line’s Yaletown-Roundhouse Station will remain open but will not provide the most direct and convenient pedestrian access to the venue on match days. Instead, spectators will need to use the Expo Line’s Main Street–Science World Station and follow the designated “Last Mile” — a car-free pedestrian route along Quebec Street and Pacific Boulevard — to reach the stadium.

On match days, entry to BC Place Stadium will be limited to a single gate on the south side along Pacific Boulevard via the Last Mile route. There will be no public access from Beatty Street or Expo Boulevard.

translink pne fifa fan festival bus service

TransLink bus services to reach the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE in Hastings Park. (TransLink)

bc place stadium translink last mile skytrain main street science world station map

All access to BC Place Stadium during FIFA World Cup matches will be made via the Last Mile pedestrian route starting outside SkyTrain’s Main Street-Science World Station. (TransLink)

Bus services will also see a major boost, with roughly 600 additional trips per day. This includes enhanced routes serving the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE fairgrounds in Hastings Park, such as a dedicated shuttle bus operating on Renfrew Street. The shuttle will connect the PNE to the Expo Line at 29th Avenue Station and the Millennium Line at Renfrew Station, similar to the temporary service provided during the annual PNE Fair period.

SeaBus sailings across Burrard Inlet will run at least every 15 minutes throughout the tournament, increasing to every 10 minutes before and after local matches. Like SkyTrain, SeaBus service will be extended by one hour on nights with 8 p.m. or later kickoffs.

For select weekend matches, TransLink will also introduce special West Coast Express service. Round-trip trains will operate on Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 21, with one westbound train arriving in Vancouver before each match and one eastbound train departing afterward.

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