London is scheduled to host a FIFA World Cup 2026 community celebration at Victoria Park on July 4, as part of a nationwide “Canada Celebrates” tour connected to the tournament.
The event will include soccer-themed activities, food trucks, a beer garden and live music, along with a public viewing of a Round of 16 match. More details will be released in the coming weeks.
Director of Sports Tourism, Zanth Jarvis said the city had worked aggressively to get involved early after the size of the World Cup became visible.
“The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sport tourism event in the world, so we knew we wanted to participate in some form of community celebrations,” Jarvis said.
London was selected as one of the host communities in partnership with FIFA Canada after expressing interest and working with local partners.
For organizers, Victoria Park had a history hosting major events and had familiarity with the community.
“They wanted to go somewhere that was familiar with the community and could support an event like this,” Jarvis said.
The celebrations are part of a wider effort to help unite communities across Canada to commemorate what organizers refer to as the country’s biggest FIFA World Cup yet.
Jarvis said the event is also an opportunity to present London as a hub for visitors to nearby host cities such as Toronto.
“We just want to be part of the celebration,” he said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for locals to get involved.”
Residents are advised to track Tourism London and the City of London as planning progresses
