Ottawa —
It was the kind of perfect evening that amateur soccer players and their parents dream of all winter. Months of inclement weather gave way to soccer abandonment on the grass, and two of Ottawa’s best junior teams clashed in the sunshine.
When eight-year-old soccer-obsessed Nathaniel Sarhani was asked if he was excited about Canada hosting the World Cup, he couldn’t wait to get his words out.
“I’m going to the Canada-Ireland soccer game!” he said with a big smile.
His mother was also smiling.
“It makes sense for us to finally be recognized as a soccer country,” said Natalie Salhani, Nathaniel’s mother. “Honestly, it means Canada is finally recognized as a soccer country.
And they play. Sarhani’s sentiments speak to those of the millions of players, coaches and parents who are passionate about amateur soccer in Canada.
The Canadian government has declared soccer, not hockey, the country’s most popular sport among Canadian children.
Canada may lack Mexico’s near-religious devotion to the sport or America’s lofty expectations, but there is a sublime joy in hosting the World Cup.
World Cup headlines in Canada include similar complaints and cynicism about high ticket prices, lack of tourism promotion, problems with stadiums and transportation, but for so many players and fans in Canada, this World Cup feels different.
“I think it’s great for us to even have the chance to do this because we haven’t had it and we’re going to take the chance now,” Salhani said.
Vancouver and Toronto are sharing hosting duties, with both cities decked out for a festival of fans.
Vancouver has completely transformed its skyline and streets. The city’s Science World unveiled “The Beautiful Dome,” a giant soccer ball placed on the waterfront. It is a 40-meter diameter, 360-degree reproduction of the official match ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Adidas Trionda.
Painted on walls and patios in the city’s Yaletown district are the “Beautiful Game” murals depicting the most iconic moments of matches by legendary soccer stars such as Lionel Messi, Pele and Canada’s Alphonso Davies.
“While this mural celebrates more than 70 years of soccer history through iconic players in action, it also reflects Vancouver’s own World Cup identity,” Sarah Vallely, executive director of the Yaletown Business Improvement Association, which commissioned the artwork, told CNN in a phone interview this week.
The city is preparing for what it calls a once-in-a-generation opportunity for residents, visitors and local businesses from dozens of cultural backgrounds. Valerie believes it’s bigger than the Super Bowl or the Olympics, given the extraordinary viewership and engagement from fans around the world.
“I think what you’re really seeing is a celebration of the world game, and that was very important to us,” Valerie said.
This is only Canada’s third World Cup appearance, but beyond the economic benefits, expectations are high, if not high, for the Canadian national team.
Even reaching the quarterfinals would be a dream scenario for the Canadian national team.
“We have some very talented players and I think we’re definitely a team that should come out of the group. I think we should be a team that should at least be in the Round of 32,” said Julian de Guzman, a Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer and former national team member who is currently the sports director of the Red Bull MLS team in New York.
De Guzman said the national team’s solid performance will give momentum to future teams and send a message to the world about the potential of Canadian soccer.
“It would be amazing to know that there is football north of the border,” de Guzman said, adding: “There’s a lot of great things to appreciate about where Alphonso Davies is from and where Jonathan David is from.”
Davies is the captain of the Canadian national team and a star player for Bayern Munich, while David is a standout striker for the Canadian national team and currently plays for Juventus in Italy. Both are children of Canadian immigrants, and both represent how and why soccer is so popular in Canada.
Canada has soccer fans with roots from every continent and team. Toronto and Vancouver will do a “double pivot” to support Canada, but many fans will do a “side hustle” to support the traditional team.
While restaurants and bars are gearing up for the Canada game, they’re also hosting watch parties for nearly all of the 48 teams competing.
Drake, an avid soccer fan, declared in a recent interview with FIFA that Canada is ready.
“Canada as a whole is an incredible melting pot of people, but Toronto in particular has so many cultural experiences, so when the World Cup comes around, it’s such a beautiful time.”
