Metro Vancouverites positive on FIFA World Cup, keeping Granville pedestrian zone: poll | Daily Hive

Most Metro Vancouver residents now view FIFA World Cup positively, back keeping Granville Street Pedestrian Zone: survey

Victory celebrations on Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver on June 28, 2026, after Canada's historic FIFA World Cup round of 32 match win against South Africa. (Kenneth Chan)

A strong majority of Metro Vancouver residents believe the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a positive experience for the region, with a broad public mood that is largely favourable toward the tournament, even with the costs and disruptions that have come with staging one of the world’s largest sporting events in the region.

According to a new survey by local polling firm Research Co., 79 per cent of Metro Vancouver residents believe the tournament will have a mostly positive impact on Canada, while 72 per cent say the same for both British Columbia and Vancouver.

By comparison, nine per cent expect a mostly negative impact on Canada, and 14 per cent expect a mostly negative impact on B.C. and Vancouver.

This is based on the results of the local survey taken during the middle of last week — the third week of the tournament period across North America.

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Research Co. says the results compare favourably with polling conducted during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, when fewer than seven-in-10 Metro Vancouver residents expected similar benefits from hosting the Olympics.

The poll suggests residents are particularly confident about the tournament’s tourism impacts. A total of 80 per cent of respondents expect the FIFA World Cup to be successful in making Vancouver and B.C. more attractive destinations for tourists, including 39 per cent who say it will be very successful and 41 per cent who say it will be moderately successful.

There is also majority confidence in the broader economic benefits, with 69 per cent expecting the event to be successful in encouraging further economic development in Vancouver and B.C. However, expectations are more muted on jobs, with 54 per cent saying the tournament will be successful in promoting long-term job creation in Vancouver and B.C.

Most residents also gave passing marks to all three levels of government for promoting the global tournament. The federal government, with Prime Minister Mark Carney, received the highest satisfaction rating at 61 per cent, followed by the municipal government with Mayor Ken Sim at 59 per cent and the provincial government with Premier David Eby at 53 per cent.

science world fifa world cup vancouver adidas trionda soccer ball canada march june 18 2026

Canadian fans march to BC Place Stadium, with the route backdropped by Science World’s transformation into the adidas Trionda match soccer ball of the FIFA World Cup, as seen on June 18, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)

The tournament has not been as inconvenient as some may have expected

However, the survey also found residents are more likely to believe the FIFA World Cup is being staged for sports fans and powerful groups than for ordinary people. About two-thirds of respondents (67 per cent) say the event is being held for the benefit of sports fans, while 63 per cent say it benefits elites, 62 per cent say it benefits athletes and their families, and 58 per cent say it benefits politicians.

Fewer respondents believe the FIFA World Cup is being staged for the benefit of children (41 per cent) or people like themselves (33 per cent). Just over half (51 per cent) believe the tournament is not being staged for the benefit of people like them.

Still, the tournament has clearly drawn significant local interest. Three-in-five Metro Vancouverites (60 per cent) shared they watched Canada matches at home, while 35 per cent watched matches that did not feature Canada at home.

Bars and pubs also saw FIFA World Cup activity, with 22 per cent of respondents indicating they watched Canada matches at a bar or pub, and 17 per cent noting they did the same for matches that did not feature Canada. Among younger adults aged 18 to 34, those figures were notably higher, with 34 per cent watching Canada matches at a bar or pub, and 29 per cent watching non-Canada matches at a bar or pub.

One-in-five residents (2o per cent) noted that they attended a “Fan Festival” or “Fan Zone” during the tournament to date. A smaller share (11 per cent) bought merchandise or apparel with the Team Canada logo, while nine per cent hosted a watch party for a Canada match at home and six per cent hosted a watch party for a non-Canada match.

canada moroco fifa world cup fan festival july 4 2026

Canada vs. Morocco match screening at FIFA World Cup Fan Festival Vancouver at the PNE on July 4, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)

On the question of disruption, the results suggest the tournament has not been as inconvenient as some may have expected. Across Metro Vancouver, 46 per cent of residents say they are excited about the FIFA World Cup and do not consider it an inconvenience to their daily lives. Another 25 per cent note they are indifferent to the tournament but also not inconvenienced.

By contrast, 10 per cent note they are excited about the FIFA World Cup, but consider it an inconvenience, while 20 per cent say they are indifferent and inconvenienced. Combined, 30 per cent of respondents say the FIFA World Cup has been an inconvenience to their day-to-day lives.

Strong support to keep Granville Street Pedestrian Zone

The survey also asked residents about the impacts of recent street closures and bus reroutes during the tournament. Just over half (52 per cent) say these changes have not affected their weekday commute at all. Another 14 per cent say there have been delays, but they have not been significantly affected.

However, 35 per cent note that their commute to work or school has taken longer, including 14 per cent who say it has taken a lot longer and 21 per cent who say it has taken a little bit longer.

There is especially strong support for keeping the Granville Street vehicle-free after the FIFA World Cup ends. Since June 8, five blocks of Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver have been closed to vehicle traffic for Vancouver’s FIFA World Cup pedestrian zone.

According to the poll, 63 per cent of Metro Vancouverites would like that portion of Granville Street to remain vehicle-free after the tournament, including 32 per cent who definitely support the idea and 31 per cent who probably support it. Support rises to 69 per cent among City of Vancouver residents and 77 per cent among residents aged 18 to 34.

Opposition is much smaller, with 11 per cent saying Granville Street should not remain vehicle-free and 10 per cent saying it definitely should not. Another 15 per cent are not sure.

Last week, Vancouver City Council approved the measure of extending the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone through the Labour Day weekend in early September. This amounts to a seven-week extension, as opposed to the original plan of running the experience for the entire five weeks of the tournament period up until July 19.

Research Co.’s online survey was conducted from Tuesday, June 30 to Thursday, July 2, 2026, among 604 adults in Metro Vancouver. During that period, BC Place Stadium held its sixth of seven matches. This statistically weighted survey has a margin of error of plus or minus four per cent, 19 times out of 20.

granville street pedestrian zone fifa world cup june 25 2026 1

Vancouver’s Granville Street Pedestrian Zone during the FIFA World Cup, as seen on June 25, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)

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