World Cup arrives in Vancouver with Australia-Turkey opener at BC Place

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VANCOUVER — The FIFA World Cup arrives in Vancouver tonight when Australia faces Turkey in the first tournament game at BC Place.

The match will also serve as the first World Cup test of BC Place’s newly installed natural grass surface, a temporary pitch built over the stadium’s artificial turf and supported by irrigation, ventilation and UV-light systems.

Players will be the first to use the temporary pitch under match conditions after months of construction and preparation aimed at meeting FIFA’s standards for a World Cup playing surface.

Australia, ranked 27th in the world, is making its sixth straight World Cup appearance and seventh overall after reaching the round of 16 in Qatar in 2022.

Turkey, ranked 22nd, is back on soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since finishing third at the 2002 World Cup.

The game marks the start of Vancouver’s seven-match World Cup schedule. Canada is slated to face Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24 at BC Place.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2026.