The City of Kamloops and Tourism Kamloops  has been selected as one of 35 Canadian communities to host Canada Celebrates during the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

This free event will take place at Riverside Park on June 18, bringing together residents, visitors, and football fans for live match viewing, music, culture, and community.

Canada Celebrates runs throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026™ tournament from June 11 to July 19, with 39 stops across 35 communities spanning all provinces and one territory. Kamloops lands a prime slot on the West Coast route alongside Fort St. John, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke, Nelson, and Cranbrook, with each stop offering a consistent experience while giving the host community space to bring its own flavour.

“In the immortal words of Ted Lasso, ‘I feel like we fell out of the lucky tree and hit every branch on the way down, ended up in a pool of cash and Sour Patch Kids!’ Kamloops is grateful and excited to have been chosen as a location for the FIFA Caravan. We hope everyone comes out to enjoy this free, interactive celebration for all ages,” said Deputy Mayor Katie Neustaeter. 

Hosting the event is a partnership between the City of Kamloops, Tourism Kamloops, Kamloops Sports Council, Tḱemlúps te Secwepemc, Kamloops United Football Club, and Downtown Kamloops.

"The City of Kamloops and our community partners are excited for Kamloops to have been selected as a feature stop—on a Team Canada matchday—for the Canada Celebrates caravan,” said Carmin Mazzotta, the City’s Community and Culture Director. “This event, along with the public watch parties and other enhanced events that we’ll be hosting throughout the FIFA World Cup, will bring Riverside Park to life from the opening kickoff on June 11 to the final whistle on July 19. We encourage everyone to come on down, bring your friends and families, and let’s connect, have some fun, and celebrate the beautiful game together.” 

"Kamloops has earned its reputation as Canada's Tournament Capital by showing up for sport at every level, from grassroots to international," said Erik Fisher, CEO of Tourism Kamloops. "Hosting a Canada Celebrates stop fits exactly who we are. It gives our residents a front-row seat to the world's biggest tournament and gives visitors one more reason to choose Kamloops this summer."
 

What to Expect on June 18:

• live match viewing on a large LED screen at Riverside Park
• cultural and music performances reflecting the region's diversity
• interactive football activities for all ages featuring mini soccer pitches, and life-sized, arcade-style soccer challenges
• local food and community programming highlighting Kamloops businesses and local soccer

Full programming details for the Canada Celebrates event, including the match schedule, performers, and local partners, will be released closer to the event. Details will be listed on the Tourism Kamloops website.

In addition to Canada Celebrates on June 18, the City will be hosting Riverside Park Watch Parties from June 11 to July 19 for every match. During that time, 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. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks.