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The BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada, will host seven matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. One of these is Türkiye's first Group D game against Australia on June 19.
The stadium, one of Canada's top sports venues, opened on June 19, 1983. Stantec Architecture designed the original building. In 2011, a major renovation added a retractable roof, the first in North America.
Since opening, BC Place has hosted many major international events. It was the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup final, and the 1986 World Exposition, also called Expo 86.
The stadium's first goal was scored on June 20, 1983, in a match between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders. Over 60,000 fans watched as English player Peter Beardsley made history.
BC Place is home to two professional teams: the BC Lions from the Canadian Football League and the Vancouver Whitecaps from Major League Soccer (MLS).
The stadium's seating changes based on the event. For football, it holds about 54,500 people. Its attendance record was set on Sept. 2, 2023, when 65,061 fans came for an Ed Sheeran concert.
BC Place is also a major entertainment venue in Vancouver. Big acts like AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, and Foo Fighters have played concerts there.
Türkiye qualified for the tournament by finishing second in UEFA Qualifying Group E, three points behind Spain, the 2010 World Cup champions, and ahead of Georgia and Bulgaria.
This result put Türkiye into the playoff rounds.at home, with the winning goal scored by Ferdi Kadioglu. In the final, Türkiye faced Kosovo, which had beaten Slovakia 4-3 away, and secured qualification with a goal by Kerem Aturkoglu in Pristina, ending a 24-year absence from the World Cup.
Türkiye is in Group D with the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.
The U.S. qualified automatically as one of the three host nations. The team has played in 11 World Cups, starting with the first tournament in 1930.
Paraguay qualified directly by finishing sixth in South American (CONMEBOL) qualifying, earning 28 points from 18 games. This will be its ninth World Cup.
Australia reached its seventh World Cup by finishing second in AFC Third Round Group C with 19 points. It benefited from the extra spots given to the AFC after the tournament expanded to 48 teams.
If Türkiye moves past the group stage, its next opponent will depend on where it finishes in the group. If it finishes first, the team will play the third-placed team from Group B, E, F, I, or J at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
If it finishes second, it will face the runner-up from Group G at Dallas Stadium.
If Türkiye finishes third and is among the eight best third-placed teams from all 12 groups, it could play the winner of Group E at Boston Stadium, the winner of Group I at New York/New Jersey Stadium, or the winner of Group K at Kansas City Stadium.
Vancouver is planning a range of fan events and activities around BC Place during the tournament. Fan zones will pop up across the city, and free public viewing areas with big screens are planned for nearby districts like Surrey. There will also be themed events, such as the "Canyon Kick-Off" at Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Türkiye's national team arrived in Vancouver on Thursday. Its first training session took place at Killarney Park, led by head coach Vincenzo Montella. Forward Kenan Yildiz, back from injury, joined the team for the opening session before working on his own.
The team will have a final training session on Saturday before the June 19 opener.
Tickets for the remaining group stage matches can be bought through the usual sales and resale options at FIFA.com/tickets.
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