Grouse Mountain watch party brings World Cup fans outdoors for Panama–England matchup

A unique World Cup watch party on B.C.'s Lower Mainland is bringing fans outdoors for Saturday's Panama-England matchup.

Destination Canada is hosting what it calls a “natural watch party” on Grouse Mountain for Saturday’s FIFA World Cup matchup between England and Panama, inviting fans to watch the game surrounded by alpine views above Vancouver.

The match is being played in New Jersey, but Vancouver has been a destination for those enjoying the World Cup since it kicked off earlier this month, even those cheering for teams that didn’t play live in the city.

Organizers say the watch party is designed to showcase Canada’s landscapes to a global audience during the FIFA World Cup.

“What we do at Destination Canada is to promote Canada as a great place to visit year-round, and what better way to do that than for our natural landscapes,” said Suzanne Reeves, executive communications strategist with Destination Canada.

“I think that the way Canada can really invite the global community who are watching is to show off who we are as a place with our magnificent landscapes,” Reeves added.

The event is part soccer celebration, part showcase of Canada’s tourism appeal, with mountain views serving as a natural backdrop to the match.

“It’s about being together in a really unique time and being together in such a unique place,” Reeves said.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, with organizers encouraging fans to arrive early to explore Grouse Mountain before settling in to watch Panama take on England.

In addition to the event on Grouse Mountain, Destination Canada organized three other natural watch parties, those taking place in and around Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.