Watch the World Cup on the Big Screen This Summer
Canadians won't have to crowd around a bar TV or stream matches on a laptop this summer — Cineplex and TSN are teaming up to bring select FIFA World Cup 2026 matches to theatre screens across the country.
The partnership means fans will be able to catch some of the world's biggest soccer matches projected in cinemas, complete with stadium-style sound and a communal viewing experience that's hard to replicate at home. It's a smart move as Canada prepares to co-host the tournament alongside the United States and Mexico — the first World Cup ever held across three nations.
Canada's Biggest Soccer Moment Ever
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a landmark event for Canadian soccer. For the first time, Canada qualified for a World Cup in 2022, ending a 36-year absence from the tournament and signalling a new era for the sport in this country. With Canada now a host nation, the excitement is only going to grow.
Vancouver's BC Place and Toronto's BMO Field are among the Canadian venues set to host matches. The buzz around Canadian soccer has never been higher, and events like the Cineplex-TSN screening deal are a direct response to the surging fan interest coast to coast.
For Ottawa fans, the Cineplex partnership is good news — the capital has several Cineplex locations, meaning residents could soon be watching World Cup matches in full cinematic glory without leaving the city. An Ottawa angle worth watching: ByTown has a growing soccer community, and local supporters' groups have been some of the most passionate in the country during major tournaments.
Why Theatre Screenings Make Sense
There's something electric about watching a major sporting event with a room full of strangers who all care as much as you do. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw Canadian bars and sports pubs packed to capacity for every Canadian match — and that was just qualifying. With Canada as a host nation and the tournament taking place in the summer of 2026, demand for viewing parties is going to be enormous.
Cineplex theatres offer a controlled, high-quality environment — massive screens, Dolby sound, and no lineup for the washroom at halftime (well, mostly). TSN's broadcast rights for the tournament make the partnership a natural fit, bringing the network's coverage directly to the big screen.
What to Expect
Detailed information about which matches will be screened, ticket pricing, and participating locations hasn't been fully released yet, but the partnership signals that Cineplex is positioning itself as a major destination for communal sports viewing beyond just hockey playoffs.
Fans interested in attending should keep an eye on Cineplex's website and TSN's announcements as the tournament draws closer. Given how quickly Canadian soccer events have sold out in recent years, booking early is likely the smart move.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Canada's opening match is one of the most anticipated moments in the country's soccer history — and now you might just get to watch it on a 50-foot screen.
Source: Global News Canada
