Health officials are warning that the upcoming FIFA World Cup could bring a greater risk of measles into Vancouver and other parts of Canada as thousands of international visitors arrive.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has flagged measles as one of the diseases most likely to be imported during the tournament. That concern is driven by a few simple facts: the virus is still active in many countries, it spreads through the air, and major sporting events put large groups of people together in tight spaces.
Ontario has already released a detailed infectious disease risk review for the event. It points to travel, crowd density, and lower vaccination coverage as factors that could make measles harder to control.
British Columbia has not yet shared a public version of its own assessment.
Why Officials Want Faster Public Warnings
Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, says that silence from provincial leaders is a problem.
He believes officials should be telling residents and visitors, now, to check their measles protection before the tournament begins. People who are unsure about their vaccine history should update it as soon as possible.
He also says travelers need to know that Canada is dealing with active measles transmission right now.
- Check your vaccination record before traveling.
- Make sure children and adults are fully protected.
- Do not assume measles is only a problem elsewhere.
His main point is straightforward: large crowds leave little room for delay.
The Outbreak Is Already Widespread
Canada has reported more than 900 measles cases this year across seven jurisdictions, with Alberta and Manitoba seeing the largest numbers.
The current wave follows a much larger outbreak last year, when more than 5,000 people were infected. Officials believe that outbreak began with a case in New Brunswick in the fall of 2024 after exposure outside the country.
In British Columbia, 470 measles cases have been reported during 2025 and 2026. Roughly 80 percent of those infections have been in northeastern B.C., where immunization rates are among the lowest in the province.
Vancouver’s History Adds Context
Public health experts say Vancouver has seen this pattern before.
After the 2010 Winter Olympics, B.C. recorded a measles outbreak with 82 confirmed cases. The situation was different, but the lesson was the same: large international events can create opportunities for infectious diseases to move quickly.
Conway says the risk is even more concerning now because vaccination rates have slipped in parts of British Columbia. He also notes that some countries sending fans, athletes, and support crews may have lower measles coverage than Canada, which raises the chance of imported cases.
Health Authorities Say Planning Is Underway
Vancouver Coastal Health says it has been preparing for the FIFA World Cup for years. The agency says it completed a public health risk assessment with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, but the findings have not been made public.
Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, deputy chief medical health officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, said the measles risk during the tournament was placed in the medium range.
He said local health teams have already handled dozens of measles cases brought in from other countries during the current outbreak. So far, those cases have not led to ongoing spread in the region.
Lysyshyn said strong immunization coverage in the Vancouver Coastal Health region has helped stop transmission. Because of that, he does not expect an imported case during the World Cup to become unusually difficult to manage.
Who Faces the Biggest Risk
Dr. Monika Naus, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health, says any major international gathering carries some level of infectious disease risk.
Still, she says the general public is not the main concern because most adults are already immune through vaccination or prior infection.
The bigger danger is for communities with lower immunization coverage, especially clustered areas where the virus could spread more easily if it arrives.
- Under-vaccinated communities face the highest threat.
- Imported cases can spread faster where coverage is low.
- Most people with full immunity are still well protected.
Why Vaccination Checks Matter Now
Canada lost its measles elimination status after the Pan American Health Organization notified the country last year that transmission had continued too long to keep the designation.
That status can be regained only if measles transmission is interrupted for a full year.
For Vancouver, the message before the World Cup is clear: review vaccination records, close immunity gaps, and reduce the chance that an imported case turns into a local outbreak. Measles is highly contagious, but it is also preventable.