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Vancouver welcomed the world's attention when it hosted the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Switzerland and Algeria.
The fixture brought another major World Cup occasion to Vancouver, as supporters gathered for the tournament's knockout phase.
While the city played host to plenty of on-field drama — as goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye gave Switzerland a 2-0 win and a place in the Round of 16 — one Metro Vancouver-based charity is working to ensure the impact of the World Cup reaches far beyond the stadium.
OneAbility Games, an organization dedicated to promoting inclusive sport and physical activity opportunities for children and youth of all abilities, has been named a project partner of the Play Collective initiative.
MORE: What is Play Collective?
Play Collective is a joint initiative of the adidas Foundation, Beyond Sport and Common Goal, designed to improve access to and long-term participation in sport by creating safer and more inclusive opportunities for underserved young people in regions hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The initiative provides selected organizations with multi-year funding, learning support and access to a collaborative network that helps strengthen program delivery and long-term impact. For OneAbility Games, the partnership represents an opportunity to create lasting change in inclusive sport across British Columbia.
OneAbility to expand inclusive sport opportunities across British Columbia
Supported by Play Collective funding, OneAbility Games will expand and strengthen its school-based inclusive sport model across British Columbia.
The project focuses on embedding inclusive practices within education systems by scaling educator training, increasing access to adapted equipment and strengthening youth leadership pathways. It will also support schools in delivering inclusive sport independently, helping create sustainable opportunities for children and young people of all abilities.
Rather than relying on standalone programs, OneAbility Games aims to integrate these opportunities into everyday school environments, ensuring participation becomes a lasting part of school communities.
By supporting both immediate access and long-term system change, the initiative seeks to create a more inclusive sporting landscape for future generations across British Columbia.
Whilst the World Cup is a highlight of the sporting calendar every four years, for young people in British Columbia they will be able to take part in the inaugural OneAbility Games, a multi-sport disability event that will take place from May 19-24, 2027.
The Games will provide an opportunity to those who have had access to Play Collective funded activities to compete and take part in adapted sports.
Whilst the OneAbility Games are a powerful entry point into disability sport, the deeper goal is systemic: to reshape how inclusion is practiced so it becomes the standard, not the exception.
Beyond the tournament, turning World Cup momentum into community change
This year's World Cup will be remembered for a lot of things, the planning, the ceremonies and the performances on the pitch, but importantly — and not to be overlooked — is the impact the World Cup leaves behind for local communities.
For OneAbility Games, the Play Collective partnership and funding provides an opportunity to create that lasting impact across British Columbia. By helping schools deliver inclusive sport independently, the organization aims to ensure more children and young people can participate in physical activity regardless of ability.
As Vancouver prepares to host their final game for the Round of 16 match, with Switzerland set to return to play either Colombia or Ghana, and those in the city reflect on what the tournament has brought, OneAbility Games's work serves as a reminder that the legacy of the World Cup 2026 should be measured not only by moments on the pitch, but by the opportunities it creates for future generations.
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