On Sunday, June 1, the Vancouver Whitecaps are playing in arguably their biggest game of all time.
The Vancouver soccer team are taking on Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup; the tournament pits the best teams from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It started with 27 teams from 10 countries this year, and now there are two.
Right now, those two teams are ranked first and second by CONCACAF.
Previous rounds in the tournament have seen opponents play two games so each could play at home, like when the Whitecaps took on Inter Miami and Lionel Messi at the end of April.
However, the final will be a single game played in Mexico's second-largest stadium: Mexico City's Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
Since most Vancouver fans are unlikely to travel for the game, the Whitecaps have organized a big outdoor watch party outside of BC Place.
"The 'Caps will look to become the first Canadian club to win the prestigious championship as the best team in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean," reads a press release from the soccer team.
Cruz Azul have won the tournament six times, and Mexican sides have dominated the competition with 39 wins over 63 years. Teams from Mexico have won 18 of the last 20 years (though Vancouver has beaten two Mexican teams on the way to the final, including recent champions Monterrey).
Terry Fox Plaza outside BC Place will host the party, with a big screen set up to watch the game. The gates will open up at 4:30 p.m., and the game starts at 6 p.m. Vancouver time.
Inside the gates, there will be food, drinks and merch for sale, and prizes. The first 2,500 people will get a rally towel.
While tickets are technically free, a minimum $5 donation must be made to the Whitecaps FC Foundation to get in the gate.
CONCACAF Champions Cup watch party: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Cruz Azul
When: June 1, 2025. Gates at 4:30 p.m., game at 6 p.m.
Where: Terry Fox Plaza (the intersection of Robson and Beatty streets)
Cost: $5 donation for entry
