FIFA World Cup 26: These two parks will be used as Vancouver training sites

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The City of Vancouver and park board have announced that Killarney Park and Memorial South Park will have field upgrades in order to function as the two official training sites for FIFA World Cup 26.

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A requirement for all 16 host cities across the U.S., Mexico and in Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, the park sites will host global teams as they practise ahead of seven games scheduled for B.C. Place two summers from now.

“The fields will be equipped with lights, team facilities such as locker rooms and a press conference room,” said a joint statement from the city and park board released Tuesday.

Exactly which teams will be training and competing in Vancouver will be decided at FIFA’s final draw in late 2025.

Work will start in January 2025 on the grass and gravel fields at Killarney Park north and the oval at Memorial South Park. It is due for completion in June 2026, and the fields will return to use by permitted users that fall.

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The public can see renderings of what the training sites will look like on development permit signs that will be installed on-site next month.

The public will have no access to the training sites during construction, and the city and park board plan to work with users in the community to find alternatives that suit their needs.

The city is also seeking expressions of interest from vendors interested in supplying sod for the training grounds. Those will be among other business opportunities posted at vancouverfwc26.ca. More information on amenities at the park will be shared as detailed designs progress.

To keep tabs, visit the website to sign up for updates, and follow the Instagram, X and Facebook accounts @FWC26Vancouver.  Fans can pre-register for World Cup ticket information at fifa.com/tickets.

jruttle@postmedia.com

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