More people were arrested after Vancouver’s second FIFA World Cup game than the first, according to police. Boisterous crowds flooded the downtown core for hours after Canada dominated Qatar with a 6-0 victory Thursday, including thousands who remained downtown well after midnight. The Vancouver Police Department said 10 people were arrested in the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone—four for public intoxication and six for breach of the peace—but that the crowd was mostly peaceful. “Overall, yesterday was terrific,” said Deputy Chief Don Chapman. “All in all, a job well done by everybody involved.” Six people were also ejected from BC Place during the game, three of them for intoxication. The others were thrown out for “not obeying some of the rules” of the stadium, Chapman said. There were no police incidents reported at the FIFA Fan Festival at the Pacific National Exhibition, where about 21,000 fans gathered at the peak of the match. During the street celebrations that followed Canada’s victory, a number of people were seen carrying open liquor—something police urged locals and visitors to reconsider as the tournament continues. Approximately 1,200 officers have been deployed during each of Vancouver’s World Cup games, some of whom were transported in from other police departments, such as the Calgary Police Service and the Edmonton Police Service. Part of their job will be enforcing liquor laws. “There are a lot of designated drinking areas,” Chapman said. “You can’t walk around the streets of Vancouver with an open flask or an open can of beer.” Last Saturday, during the Australia-Türkiye game, police reported no major incidents and only two arrests. B.C. Emergency Health Services said paramedics responded to 37 “patient events” surrounding the match in and around BC Place, the FIFA Fan Festival and the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone. The most recent cost projection for hosting part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Vancouver includes $242 million for safety and security, though the B.C. government and police have refused to share any information on how that money is being spent until after the tournament.
