As Vancouver prepares to welcome thousands of soccer fans for the FIFA World Cup, public health officials are paying close attention to a different kind of competition: the race to prevent measles from spreading. The concern is not theoretical. Measles is still circulating in many parts of the world, and major international events can create ideal conditions for imported cases to move quickly through crowds.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has already flagged measles as one of the illnesses most likely to arrive with travelers during the tournament. That warning reflects a simple reality. The virus is extremely contagious, it spreads through the air, and it can linger in busy indoor spaces where visitors, players, workers, and local residents mix closely together.
Ontario has released a formal disease risk assessment tied to the World Cup, pointing to international travel, crowded stadiums, and lower vaccination coverage as factors that could make outbreaks more likely. British Columbia has not yet published a public version of its own assessment, which has led some experts to call for clearer messaging before the event begins.
Why doctors want earlier public guidance
Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, says the province should be communicating more openly about the risk now, before fans arrive in large numbers. In his view, the most useful step is not panic but preparation: people should know whether they are protected, and if they are not, they should update their vaccination status as soon as possible.
He also believes visiting fans should understand that measles is actively circulating in Canada. That matters because many travelers may assume the country is free of the disease, when in fact local transmission is still ongoing in several regions. Conway’s point is straightforward: if people know the risk ahead of time, they can make better decisions before they travel.
The timing is important. World Cup events will bring packed transit systems, full hotels, shared dining spaces, and dense crowds around stadiums. Even one imported case can become a public health issue if enough people in the same space are not immune.
The outbreak picture across Canada
So far this year, Canada has reported more than 900 measles cases across seven jurisdictions, with Alberta and Manitoba accounting for a large share of those infections. The current outbreak follows an even larger wave last year, when more than 5,000 people were infected. That earlier surge is believed to have started after exposure outside Canada in New Brunswick in the fall of 2024.
British Columbia has also seen a significant number of cases. Provincial data shows 470 measles infections during 2025 and 2026 combined. Roughly 80 percent of those cases have been concentrated in northeastern B.C., where immunization levels are among the lowest in the province.
For public health experts, those numbers are a reminder that measles does not spread evenly. It tends to move fastest where vaccination coverage is weakest, which is why even a short-lived imported case during a major event can matter more than it might in a highly immunized population.
What history suggests about large sporting events
Vancouver has seen this pattern before. After the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, B.C. recorded a measles outbreak that included 82 confirmed cases. The circumstances are not identical to those facing the city now, but experts say the lesson is still relevant. Large international gatherings can create the kind of close contact that respiratory viruses need in order to spread.
Conway says the risk is somewhat higher today because vaccination rates have slipped in parts of the province. He also notes that some countries sending athletes, fans, and support staff to the World Cup may have lower immunization coverage than Canada, increasing the odds that an infected traveler could arrive during the tournament.
That does not mean a major outbreak is inevitable. It does mean the city and province need to assume that at least some imported cases are possible and prepare accordingly.
How local health systems are preparing
Vancouver Coastal Health says it has been planning for the World Cup for several years. The health authority reports that it completed a public health risk assessment with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, although those findings have not been shared publicly. Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, deputy chief medical health officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, said the measles risk for the tournament was assessed in the medium, or moderate, range.
Lysyshyn added that the region has already dealt with dozens of imported measles cases during the current outbreak. So far, those cases have not led to sustained transmission within the Vancouver Coastal Health area. In his view, that reflects the protective effect of relatively strong immunization coverage in the region.
He said that because local vaccination rates are high enough in many communities, an imported case during the World Cup should not be significantly harder to manage than other recent imported cases. Even so, he stressed that early detection and routine immunization remain essential.
The City of Vancouver has also said that it has broad operational and emergency plans in place for the tournament. City officials say they are prepared to respond if public health or safety concerns develop during the event.
Who is most vulnerable
Dr. Monika Naus, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health, says large international events always carry some infectious disease risk. Still, she believes the danger to the general public is limited because most adults are already protected through vaccination or past infection.
The greater concern, she says, is what happens if measles reaches a community where immunization rates are low. In British Columbia, those communities are often geographically clustered, which can allow the virus to move quickly once it gains a foothold.
That is why health experts keep returning to the same message: personal immunity protects not just the individual, but also the people around them. For infants, people with weakened immune systems, and others who cannot easily be vaccinated, community protection is especially important.
Why vaccination checks matter now
The World Cup will be a celebration, but it will also be a test of public health readiness. Measles spreads fast, yet it is preventable. That makes vaccination status one of the most practical things residents and visitors can review before the first crowds gather in Vancouver.
- Check whether your measles shots are current, especially if you are unsure about your childhood records.
- Talk to a health care provider if you may need a booster or if you have questions about protection before traveling.
- Pay attention to symptoms after travel, especially fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash.
Canada’s loss of measles elimination status last year added more urgency to that advice. The Public Health Agency of Canada said the Pan American Health Organization informed the country that it no longer holds elimination status, which happens when sustained transmission continues rather than only isolated imported cases. Canada can regain that status if transmission is interrupted for a full year.
For Vancouver, the challenge is clear: enjoy the global spotlight, welcome the world, and still keep a highly contagious disease from gaining new ground. The best defense is not complicated. It is awareness, vaccination, and early action.
