WORLD CUP – City gets funding to host outdoor watch parties in the park

Kamloops will get some provincial funding to host community-led celebrations and live public watch parties for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

The Community Event Support funding supports the planning, promotion, and safe delivery of soccer-themed events aimed at fostering community pride and helping to attract visitors during the five-week long tournament.

The amount of funding wasn’t revealed in a City news release.

“This funding allows communities like Kamloops to create memorable experiences around major sporting events and creates a sense of inclusion and unity for everyone in the province as Canada co-hosts the biggest sporting event in the world,” said Andrew Smeaton, the City’s business operations and events supervisor.

From June 11 to July 19, 2026,  licensed outdoor public watch parties will be held at Riverside Park. Games will be broadcast on a large screen at the Rotary Bandshell, with enhanced events planned around Team Canada matches and the World Cup final. These events will feature family and soccer-focused activities, live entertainment, food trucks, and beer gardens.

The City is working with several community partners as it hosts the community celebrations. “This is all possible thanks to our strong collaboration with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, Tourism Kamloops, the Kamloops Sports Council, the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association, and Kamloops United Football Club,” said Smeaton.

Full details and a schedule of events will be released later this spring.