As Vancouver gears up for the FIFA World Cup 2026, soccer excitement is building across the region — especially for local soccer families who have spent years living and breathing the beautiful game.
That excitement hits close to home for Gurinder Badwal, a clinical counsellor at DIVERSEcity, and proud mom to Jeevan Badwal, a 20-year-old midfielder with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Jeevan’s soccer story began early. At just three years old, he first stepped onto the field at Surrey’s Newton Athletic Park, surrounded by his supportive parents and a strong local soccer community that helped shape his love for the game.
“My mom’s been there since my first time kicking the ball to making my debut for the Whitecaps,” says Jeevan.
Today, that same support system continues to fuel his journey.
Balancing work at DIVERSEcity, family and soccer!
From Jeevan’s first kick of the ball to his debut with the Whitecaps, Gurinder has been there through every stage, balancing work, family life and evenings spent rushing from DIVERSEcity to his practices and games.
She is also an active volunteer and team mom with the Whitecaps organization, particularly supporting the Whitecaps’ South Asian community initiatives, helping create stronger connections between soccer and the Surrey-Newton community.
“I take DIVERSEcity to Whitecaps and Whitecaps to DIVERSEcity,” she shares.
That spirit of giving back is something Jeevan says has deeply influenced him both on and off the field.
Watching his mom support others through her counselling work has inspired him to think beyond soccer and about the importance of giving back, being a role model and making his community proud.
For Gurinder, success has never just been about goals or achievements on the field. It’s about raising someone who stays grounded, works hard and remembers where they came from.
Now, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 coming to Vancouver, the excitement surrounding soccer feels bigger than ever for young players across the region.
For Jeevan, the opportunity to watch world-class players compete in Vancouver is something he describes truly as “an amazing experience.”
And for younger kids growing up in Surrey communities like Newton, moments like these can become the start of new dreams.
As Vancouver prepares for its biggest soccer moment yet, stories like Gurinder and Jeevan’s are a reminder that behind every player is a community cheering them on.