The Village of Port Clements is taking a shot at bringing a piece of the FIFA World Cup 2026 legacy to Haida Gwaii.
At a special meeting on July 22, council approved an expression of interest for the Mini PEAKS Legacy Project, a provincial initiative that aims to build professional-quality mini soccer pitches in communities across British Columbia.
Since then, the Village’s Phase 1 expression of interest has been approved and the proposal has advanced to Phase 2, which involves a technical site assessment, Mayor Scott Cabianca said.
The proposed location is within Port Clements Community Park, adjacent to the existing soccer field.
If the application is successful, Haida Gwaii Recreation would serve as the lead programming organization, working with the Village, local schools, the Haida Gwaii Youth Soccer Association, adult soccer and other community partners.
The program is a partnership between the Province of British Columbia, viaSport and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. It will fund between 18 and 20 permanent mini-pitches across the province, with at least two planned for each of B.C.’s eight economic regions as part of the lasting legacy of Vancouver’s role in hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
According to the program handbook, successful communities would receive a professionally installed 60-by-120-foot synthetic turf mini-pitch, along with technical assistance, grassroots soccer programming, coach development opportunities and support for community events surrounding the facility’s opening. Programming support could continue for up to three years after installation.
Cabianca said the opportunity came about after Haida Gwaii Recreation learned about the Mini PEAKS Legacy Project while attending the B.C. Recreation and Parks Association Symposium this spring alongside Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Haida Gwaii Recreation brought the opportunity to the mayor’s attention while discussing ways to support soccer and further develop the Community Park. After speaking with the Whitecaps project team, it was felt Port Clements was well positioned to submit an application.
Communities are required to provide a suitable site, commit to maintaining the facility over the long term and demonstrate the capacity to support ongoing recreation programming. Priority will be given to communities that can show a need for improved recreation infrastructure and strong partnerships supporting youth participation.
Timelines for final selections have not yet been announced.
Cabianca said the project is an opportunity to build on the excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup while creating a year-round recreation space for children, youth and families from across Haida Gwaii.