City of Salmon Arm applying for grant to host live viewing party for FIFA World Cup gold medal game

City planning for World Cup

Photo: Luc Rempel

Exterior of Salmon Arm City Hall

Salmon Arm Coun. Debbie Cannon is looking to bring the city together to celebrate the beautiful game with plans to host a live viewing party for the gold medal match of this year's FIFA World Cup.

At a Jan. 26 meeting, city council discussed the upcoming World Cup and the possibility of hosting a public viewing party. Cannon said she has been meeting with a group of volunteers to talk about hosting an event in Salmon Arm.

“Really the one that you're going to get the community and people pumped about is the gold medal game,” Cannon said.

Mayor Alan Harrison said he believed Cannon was the right person to head up an event like this given her background.

“Coun. Cannon started with hometown hockey and 55+ BC Games, now it's FIFA World Cup,” Harrison said. “I can't think of a person I'd rather have in charge than you. So thank you very much for taking it on.”

Grant funding is available through the Union of B.C. Municipalities for local governments looking to organize viewing parties. Cannon asked council to support a grant application for $75,000 to host the viewing party on Sunday, July 19.

“If we're successful, we will go ahead with our planning of this event,” she said.

Council voted unanimously to support the $75,000 grant application.

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico. This is the first time the event has ever been hosted by multiple countries at once.

The event will begin with the FIFA World Cup group stage starting on June 11.