Victoria artist Jamin Zuroski has been named the winner of Vancouver’s official host city poster contest for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an honour that places his artwork and his voice on the global stage.
His vibrant design, now displayed on the side of BC Place, was chosen from among 57 submissions and will serve as a visual symbol of Vancouver’s role in the world’s most-watched sporting event.
“It's such an honour and I do feel quite humble about this opportunity,” said Zuroski, whose artistic career spans over 25 years and blends Indigenous notes with modern design. “Just being selected was a beautiful thing in itself.”
The poster contest launched in August 2024, inviting British Columbian artists to either submit a portfolio or a complete poster design.
Zuroski set aside other projects and schoolwork to focus fully on the contest, spending two weeks developing a piece that reflects the natural beauty of the West Coast and the unifying spirit of the game.
“I was doing full-time schooling and I pretty much put all my schooling and all my other projects on hold,” Zuroski said. “I wanted to reflect the city of Vancouver, but also how FIFA has incorporated a spirit in the game – building camaraderie of teams and players from around the world and coming together in a respectful, harmonious way.”
At the heart of Zuroski’s poster is an orca, a creature he says mirrors the spectacle of soccer and the unity of its players.
“The orca is swooping up, with the tail kind of wrapping around the ball. It symbolizes how orcas flip seals up in the water – it’s a spectacle,” Zuroski said. “And I feel the same way with these players coming from around the world. It’s just magic in itself.”
Zuroski paid close attention to colour and form, aiming to match FIFA’s regional palette while creating something audiences of all ages could connect with.
“I want youth, adults, elders to walk past it and connect with it in their own way,” Zuroski said. “To look across the whole design and find elements they can relate to.”
Zuroski, whose work has previously been featured at the 2019 Canada Winter Games and the 2024 Ironman Triathlon, also spoke about the influence of mentorship in his journey.
He invited his family and longtime art teacher Victor Newman to the press conference unveiling the poster.
“If it wasn’t for his guidance and support, I don’t know where I’d be,” Zuroski said. “It’s really beautiful to have your mentors beside you.”
Soccer has long been part of Zuroski’s life, dating back to his childhood in Alert Bay and later in Victoria.
His uncle, Alex Nelson, is a BC and Canadian Hall of Fame inductee and former coach who used the game as a space for healing, friendship and mentorship –principles that Zuroski said shaped both his approach to sport and his creative life.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, marking the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams.
Vancouver is one of two Canadian cities hosting matches, alongside Toronto. BC Place will welcome fans to seven games: five in the group stage – including Canada’s second and third group games on June 18 and 24 – followed by a Round of 32 match on July 2 and a Round of 16 match on July 7.
