Granville Street packed with celebrations after Canada's historic win
Thousands flooded downtown Vancouver Thursday evening as the city erupted in red and white after the 6-0 World Cup victory.
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Granville Street became a sea of Canadian flags and jerseys Thursday night as thousands of jubilant fans celebrated Canada's historic 6-0 World Cup win over Qatar.
Hours after the final whistle at BC Place, the downtown entertainment corridor remained packed. Fans draped in red and white spilled out of bars and onto expanded patios, chanting "Canada!" and singing the national anthem. Many held beer or mocktails aloft, their faces painted, their voices ringing through the night.
The energy extended across the city. At the FIFA Fan Fest at the PNE, roughly 5,000 fans watched from the stands. At Canada Soccer House in North Vancouver's Shipyards, another 5,000 family-friendly spectators emptied out after the final whistle. SkyTrain and buses filled with revellers waving flags on their commutes home. At Waterfront Station, groups of happy fans sang the national anthem.
Dublin Calling, a sports bar on Granville Street, was packed from morning through night. The crowd spoke multiple languages—Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, German—a mix of locals and international fans caught up in the moment.
Vancouver police reported the vibe downtown was cheerful with no major incidents. As of 8:30 p.m., the VPD had no reports of serious altercations connected to World Cup celebrations.