From watch parties to Vancouver, Battlefords fans soak in World Cup fever

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(Image Credit: submitted/Lisa Kissick)

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From watch parties to Vancouver, Battlefords fans soak in World Cup fever

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The family was cheering for Turkey in a stadium where Australian fans made up most of the crowd, but she said the atmosphere felt welcoming.

“I would say 90% of the fans in the stands were Australian. We were wearing our turkey jerseys, and they still welcomed us with open arms. They won, but there was no gloating or, rubbing into our face or anything. So it was just like, just a really happy environment.” 

They also joined a Vancouver fan fest for one of Canada’s matches, adding another crowd experience to the trip.

“Went in the big amphitheatre and watched that game that was being broadcast from Toronto. That basically set up our whole trip. It was so fun. There must have been 20,000 people there.” 

Lisa Kissick and her son, Bradley at Vancouver’s fan fest watch party. (Image Credit: submitted/Lisa Kissick)

The gathering, she said, helped recreate a bit of the live atmosphere while showing how much the local soccer community has grown.

“A lot of people that are coming out to watch a game on a big screen, just so you can kind of create a smaller sense of that environment that’s there if you were there live. Just the amount of people that showed up, I don’t think that would have happened even four years ago at the last FIFA games.” 

Saskatoon offered another gathering point for Saskatchewan soccer fans, with a fan fest that included big screens and family-friendly activities.

Kelly Bitner, a soccer superfan, spent a full day at the Saskatoon festival watching matches while his kids played on a small pitch set up at the site.

“As an absolute soccer nut, like this was, it was really cool to have something like that, you know, close to home and have it in Saskatchewan,” said Bitner. 

“It was cool that they were able to bring a taste of that World Cup fever to Saskatchewan, even though we weren’t going to be hosting any games.” 

Bitner had also travelled to Vancouver to watch Canada face Switzerland in its final group match, a 2-1 loss that did little to diminish the experience.

“It was electric. We did the walk to the game, and there were people in red shirts as far as you could see ahead and as far as you could see behind singing and the smoke flares. So there’s red smoke everywhere,” he said. 

“It was something I never thought I’d experience. A, going to a World Cup game or B, going to a World Cup game on home soil. So, it was definitely a bucket list experience for sure.” 

(Image Credit: submitted/Kelly Bitner)

Bitner said Canada’s stronger presence on the world stage could change how young players see the sport at home.

“Now kids can see there’s something other than hockey that they can do as they get older. When I was a kid, Canada’s soccer team was terrible. I was two the last time before 2022 they made it to the World Cup,” he said. 

“For my kids, they’ve been alive for that Canada just doesn’t miss the world cup in their lifetime. It’s a normal experience for them, so it’s cool to have them growing up, seeing a path to doing something like that or have it as a possibility.” 

Canada’s time hosting and playing in the 2026 World Cup has come to a close after 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver, capped by Switzerland’s round-of-16 win over Colombia on penalty kicks at Vancouver Stadium. For Battlefords fans, though, the lasting story was the way soccer’s biggest stage suddenly felt close to home.

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ryan.lambert@pattisonmedia.com