Port Alberni soccer fans celebrate Team Canada’s win over South Africa

Port Alberni soccer fans celebrate Team Canada’s win over South Africa

Published 5:30 am Monday, June 29, 2026

World Cup soccer fans in Port Alberni celebrate after Team Canada’s Steven Eustaquio scored at the 92-minute mark, giving Canada a 1-0 win over South Africa in the Round of 32 FIFA match. (Susie Quinn/ Alberni Valley News)

David Jack, 5, celebrates after Team Canada beat South Africa 1-0 in their Round of 32 FIFA World Cup soccer playoff game on Sunday, June 28, 2026. Jack is from the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, which are co-hosting the watch parties in Port Alberni at the KCC. (Susie Quinn/ Alberni Valley News)

Tatiana Tordoya waves her Canadian flag at the end of the Canada vs. South Africa FIFA World Cup soccer game on Sunday, June 28, 2026 during a watch party at the KCC in Port Alberni. This was Tordoya’s first watch party. “I’m so excited!” she said after Canada scored a goal at the 92-minute, stop-time mark to win the Round of 32 knockout game. (Susie Quinn/ Alberni Valley News)

A packed Kinsmen Community Centre (KCC) in Port Alberni erupted with cheers just before 2 p.m. on Sunday when Team Canada scored in its FIFA World Cup soccer match against South Africa.

Stephan Eustáquio scored Canada’s first goal at the 92-minute mark, in stoppage time, to take a 1-0 lead over South Africa. It turned out to be the only goal of the round of 32 match, giving Canada the win and its first-ever trip to the round of 16.

“I’m so excited!” said Tatiana Tordoya, who jumped up waving a Canadian flag when Canada scored. This was Tordoya’s first time attending one of the watch parties at the KCC with her family.

READ MORE: ‘Canadian heroes’: Canada beats South Africa 1-0 to reach World Cup round of 16

David Jack, 5, was all smiles in his Canada shirt and scarf as the game ended. This was also his first watch party at the KCC. A member of Huu-ay-aht First Nations, which is co-hosting the community celebrations in Port Alberni and Bamfield, Jack has joined in the excitement following Team Canada.

“He’s become a soccer fan through the World Cup,” said his mother, Crystal Jack. “When we saw Canada was going to be in a knockout round, and we hadn’t been to one of these (watch parties) yet, we thought this is where we need to be today.”

David Jack attended with his family. The Huu-ay-aht will host a viewing party in Bamfield on July 7. Two round of 16 games will be played, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Teams have not been determined.

READ MORE: Port Alberni adds last-minute watch party for Canada vs. South Africa FIFA playoff match

The June 28 watch party was an extra, hastily planned after Team Canada earned a spot in the round of 32. The KCC will open again for Canada’s round of 16 match. Their opponent has not been decided.

“We will show Canada here,” said Abu Hasan Muhammed Jahangir, part of the organizing committee that brought the watch parties to Port Alberni.

The watch parties are part of the Indigenous-led community celebrations happening in Port Alberni and Bamfield. Jahangir said attendance at the events has been heavy whenever Canada plays. Supporters for some of the other teams playing at games shown on the giant screen at the KCC have been smaller but no less enthusiastic, he said.

“The Canada days there’s more people. Day 1 we had 217 people show up.” The Canada vs. Switzerland game, held on a Wednesday afternoon, still had 100 people show up, Jahangir added.

“It’s good people are showing up. I hope for the next match it will be packed.”

Another viewing day of round-of-32 games is scheduled for Thursday, July 2 at the KCC. Bamfield will host two round-of-16 games on July 7.

Jahangir and the organizing committee—the 2026 Alberni Valley Indigenous-Led Soccer Community Celebration, hosted jointly by the Hupacasath, Tseshaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations—have worked for a year to bring FIFA World Cup excitement to the Alberni Valley. The events have been organized in collaboration with the City of Port Alberni and Alberni Athletics Soccer Club, and funded with Government of B.C. grant money.

The games are being shown on a giant screen at the KCC, with a second smaller viewing area for overflow. There are activities for kids and a concession at every event, as well as entertainment at some.

The organizing committee had to buy a licence from Bell Media to show the games, Jahangir said. He said the fees were negotiated through the Province of B.C.

“Our main target is a national training centre,” he said.