Vancouver police report deployment for 2026 World Cup

Vancouver police concluded the largest single deployment of officers in the city’s history for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, characterizing the five-week event that wrapped up on July 13 as largely peaceful despite massive crowds. The department provided a detailed statistical wrap-up on July 20, noting that up to 1,300 officers were deployed on each of the seven match days at BC Place Stadium.

Police managed fan zones across the city from June 11 to July 13, including the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE grounds, the Granville Entertainment District pedestrian zone, and various watch parties. Over the entire period, officers responded to 18,489 calls for service, averaging 560 per day, all while the city was managing its busiest cruise ship season with more than 100 ships in port and officers attending to 118 protests.

In World Cup-specific areas, police reported a total of 40 Criminal Code arrests. The Granville Entertainment District saw the highest concentration, with 36 of those arrests, alongside 99 arrests for breach of peace and 42 for public intoxication. Police noted some overlap, as individuals could be arrested for multiple offenses. At the FIFA Fan Festival, which saw...