Vancouver installing new temporary surveillance cameras for 2026 World Cup

Vancouver is installing hundreds of new, temporary surveillance cameras ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a move city officials say is about public safety, but privacy experts say deserves closer scrutiny.

With the province estimating roughly 350,000 visitors to B.C. Place during the tournament next summer, the city will be under added pressure to ensure safety and security.

As part of its preparation for that, blue signs warning of temporary surveillance have begun appearing near the stadium, prompting questions about how the cameras will be used and who will have access to the footage.

Roughly 200 cameras will be installed as part of a FIFA requirement in areas supporting World Cup-related activities, including B.C. Place, the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE and training sites.

The Vancouver Host Committee says the cameras are being installed now for testing, but will not be operational until the tournament begins. During that testing phase, captured images will be blurred to protect privacy.

It also says the cameras will be used strictly for public safety and removed once the World Cup ends.

The Vancouver Host Committee says access to surveillance footage will be limited to authorized personnel and handled in line with city policy and privacy law.

“Footage will be shared as needed with FIFA and security contractors," it added.

That detail has raised concerns among privacy advocates, who say the issue is less about the cameras themselves and more about where data goes once it leaves city control.

“FIFA is not a Canadian public body. Security contractors, they may or may not be based inside of Canada. Hopefully they are,” said Aislin Jackson, policy staff counsel with the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

“Our privacy