World Cup Watch Parties for Soccer Fans in Vancouver

2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off on November 20th in Qatar, and its influence has spread over 10,000 kilometres to Vancouver.

Located in Kitsilano and renamed "Whitecaps House" for the duration of the World Cup, the Hollywood Theatre and the Vancouver Whitecaps are showcasing Team Canada's matches, along with other matches that start no earlier than 7 am. It is open to all ages, and the entry is free. Soccer fans can enjoy the games with movie screen and movie sound.

The games of Argentina versus Australia and England versus Senegal were held on the first weekend of December, and they were respectively the second and fourth match in the round of 16. Both matches drew a lot of attention, and the tickets were sold out as Showpass demonstrated. There were people of all ages in the theatre for both matches, ranging from 7 to over 60.

In the match between Argentina and Australia, Australian fans took the seats of the front rows and on both sides, while other seats were occupied by Argentina supporters who accounted for 70% of the audience. It was relatively easy to recognize through the shirts they wore, the flags they brought, and particularly their reactions to what was happening on the big screen.

Sports is an opportunity for people to fully let go of their emotions. The expressions and behaviors of the audience were diverse yet alike at times. It is easy to recognize joy, regret, hope, frustration, and many other feelings by watching people's faces and hands. One of the most fascinating things is that two groups of fans present opposite reactions at one moment. In the meantime, fans who support different teams sometimes express one kind of emotion through same actions. For example, they tend to put both hands around their heads to show regret, and cross their arms for disappointment.

These guys are Argentine students at UBC. Two of them study engineering, and the other two major in economics. They came 30 minutes prior to the match to sit in the middle and display the flag with the national emblem of their homeland on the seats in front of them.

During the match, they cried loudly and made exaggerated moves at critical moments. At times they sang Spanish cheering songs along with the fans in the stadium.

"It makes me feel like getting closer to other fans and being there with the team," says Joaquin, the guy holding a bottle. "I would definitely come here for Argentina's next game."

The match between England and Senegal took place the following day. All the seats were moved to accommodate more people. It was a one-sided situation in the theatre with every corner full of England fans, and there was no sign of Senegal supporters. According to the host of the event, the number of people coming that day was more than 500, breaking the record of this year's World Cup watch parties.

Laura was not a soccer fan, but she accepted the invitation from her friends. She really enjoyed the atmosphere, and it got her a little bit interested in the world cup.

Celebration began immediately after England's victory. Two hosts acted like leading singers, and most audience stayed behind to join in the revel. They sang some songs related to soccer, such as Football's Coming Home, and many other popular songs. Banners and national flags were flying in the air. 30 minutes later, people gradually walked out of the building with smiles on their faces.

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