World Cup 2014 Smackdown: Steveston Village hopes to one-up Commercial Drive as your viewing destination

Forget the rivalry on the field, when it comes to the World Cup 2014 in Metro Vancouver, the real rivalry is about to unfold between the city’s Commercial Drive and Richmond’s Steveston Village.

Vancouver’s “Little Italy” on Commercial Drive is poised to be a major draw for FIFA World Cup viewing, with several spots offering special menus and plenty of big screens on which to catch all the action. However, down in Richmond’s more subdued Steveston Village, the World Cup viewing gauntlet has been thrown, as 32 local businesses have banded together to come up with 32 ways to lure in World Cup enthusiasts and their dollars.

The Steveston Village businesses have each “adopted a country, been designated a National day and will act as host pavilion in that nations quest for the coveted championship,” according to the World Cup Steveston site.

Organizer Davood Khatami, owner of Bean and Beyond Cafe, expressed his fondness for Vancouver’s Commercial Drive to News1130, but had some fighting words: “I have nothing against Commercial Drive. I love that street,” said Khatami. “But… it’s just a couple of Portuguese restaurants, couple of Italian restaurants and that’s about it. Here, [we have] 32 days of events going on. I don’t think anybody has done this before.”

Among the attractions set to lure customers to Steveston are a 17-pound chocolate replica of the World Cup trophy, a visit from Rick Hansen, and, of course, plenty of sausage.

World Cup 2014 action gets underway June 12.

Image via World Cup Steveston