Hey Vancity crew, you ready to get stoked for the FIFA World Cup? Before we send it, you gotta know that the city is actually changing a bunch of local laws just for the tournament! No cap, this is major, especially if you live downtown.
🗺️ The New Bylaw Zone
The biggest changes are happening in two main areas:
BC Place Zone
A massive 2-kilometer zone around BC Place — that covers most of downtown, from Yaletown right over to Chinatown.
PNE/Hastings Park
The area right around the PNE/Hastings Park — where the official Fan Fest is going to be.
📅 Timeline
If you're near these spots, expect things to look different starting early 2026 — think temporary structures, more crowds, and stricter rules.
🏪 Heads Up for Businesses (and Your Posters!)
FIFA is skookum serious about money and sponsors. This is the biggest rule change:
⚠️ The Brand Police are Here
If you own a shop and try to use the official FIFA trophy, logos, or even unapproved posters to market your stuff—that's "ambush marketing"—the city can literally come onto your property and cover up your sign.
Seriously, they are not messing around.
📢 What Does This Mean for the Rest of Us?
The city is changing rules about noise, signs, and street vending.
🔊 Noise & Vending
Expect some noise limits to be relaxed for the event structures, and street vending rules will be super strict inside those zones to stop unauthorized sellers.
🏘️ Community Concerns
Some people are worried this could turn into a gong show for the Downtown Eastside community. Advocates are nervous about unfair enforcement or street sweeps, even though the city says they aren't planned.
📝 The Bottom Line
For us fans, it means the city is going all out to make this event run smoothly. Just remember:
Official Venues
Stick to the official Fan Fest or stadium
Take TransLink
Don't even try to drive!
⚽🇨🇦🏟️
Let's get ready for a skookum World Cup party!