Science World is getting a soccer glow-up with its FIFA World Cup preview

by Vicki Duong on April 15th, 2026 at 10:58 AM

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As the saying goes, in case you’ve been living under a rock, FIFA is coming to Vancouver, and Science World is joining in on the fun.

Opening May 15, Soccer & Technology from the FIFA Museum makes its North American debut right here in Vancouver. The travelling show lands just before the city hosts World Cup matches, and positions Science World as an unlikely yet fitting warm-up venue for football fever.

The exhibition digs into everything that happens beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch. Split into five sections, it covers broadcasting and media (from grainy 1950s footage to today’s drone cameras), intelligent data (think: the millions of stats quietly shaping every pass and sprint), refereeing tech like VAR, the behind-the-scenes systems that keep stadiums running, and an innovation lab that lets visitors try their hand at dreaming up the next big thing in sport.

There’s also a Canadian angle woven throughout, with must-see pieces like Christine Sinclair’s jersey from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal match, plus items tied to Alphonso Davies and Atiba Hutchinson’s World Cup appearances. It’s a reminder that while Vancouver gears up to host the world, Canada’s soccer story is still being written in real time.

“As an organization committed to making science for all, we are delighted to partner with the FIFA Museum to host an exhibition that showcases the science and technology behind the world's most popular sport at a time when soccer fans from around the world will be visiting our city,” shares Science World’s experience and products VP, Fiona Cole-Hamilton, in a statement. “By highlighting the technology behind soccer, we hope to engage new audiences and inspire the next generation of sports technologists and innovators.”

If the World Cup itself can feel a little abstract this far out, this exhibition makes it tangible. It’s part sports nerdery, part tech showcase, and part soft launch for what’s set to be one of the biggest global events the city has hosted in years.