Johnson inquired.
Toronto’s Front Street buzzed with excitement throughout the week, connecting the city’s main station and various landmarks to the waterfront where fan festivities and Toronto Stadium are situated. On the day of the Croatia-Panama match, fans proudly donned jerseys not only from those teams but also from Brazil, Scotland, and other nations. One Croatian supporter expressed frustration at a vendor selling Blue Jays merchandise, insisting, “Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league,”
Across the street, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation showcased images of six women’s soccer players in Northern Super League uniforms, declaring, “This World Cup is our coming out party,” This moment served as a reminder that domestic soccer continues to thrive amidst the World Cup celebrations.
This setting highlighted the profound implications of this grand event for Canada. While the United States and, to a lesser extent, Mexico have dominated the headlines, Canada stands out as the sole first-time host for the 2026 World Cup. Mexico has hosted three times, and the USA twice, but for Canada, the potential benefits are immense. There is hope that this World Cup will provide the same momentum soccer experienced in the U.S. after the 1994 tournament, an advantage Mexico no longer requires.
“Over the years, we’ve gone through our fair bit of controversy, a little bit of lack of transparency, and changes within the organizational structure of Canada Soccer. But that is all behind us and now we’re steady on the path of growth, the path of creating a foundation.” declared Tosaint Ricketts, a veteran forward for Canada who now contributes to the Vancouver Whitecaps and participated in the selection committee for Canada’s coach, Jesse Marsch. “I think the biggest opportunity is not just the five weeks hosting and participating in the tournament,”
The Canadian Soccer Association is beginning to recover from years of dysfunction. Following the men’s national team’s return to the World Cup in 2022—its first appearance since 1986—there is visible momentum. This comes alongside the women’s team, which proudly secured three consecutive Olympic medals from 2012 to 2020, including a gold medal at the last Olympics. “It’s really in the legacy that the tournament leaves behind, which can be transformation for soccer in this country.” Ricketts remarked. “Of course, people know soccer is not number one in Canada, but I’m not sure people know that it’s the most participated-in sport,”
With soccer gaining a stronger foothold, the World Cup represents a pivotal moment that could finally elevate the sport in a nation traditionally captivated by hockey, which, like its southern neighbor, boasts a diverse sporting culture.
“There’s over a million participants across Canada. The next step is to get the corporations investing in the game, improve the infrastructure so these million participants have the facilities and resources to grow and get better. What the World Cup does is allow all of this progress to be sustainable.” stated James Johnson, commissioner of the Canadian Premier League, which has eight teams and is currently in its eighth season (with three additional Canadian clubs competing in MLS). “We want to bring investment in,”
As was once the case in the U.S., there exists a significant gap between the sport’s popularity and the elite levels of the domestic game. “We want to scale and we want to take advantage of the momentum the World Cup creates. We want to increase our marketing spend for the Canadian Premier League, to increase the playing time on the pitch and our clubs’ infrastructures to develop better players. It requires investment. For us, it is really commercializing the sport and bringing in revenue and partners. It’s positioning the sport in the mainstream and making sure when the World Cup comes and goes, people can still see soccer in Canada on billboards and on linear TV.” Ricketts noted. “The legacy for a sport is very heavily influenced by the performance of the national team,”
There is optimism that sponsors drawn to the World Cup will maintain their involvement in the sport long after the event concludes. “The longer the host nation stays in the tournament, the deeper the connection new fans have with the sport.” Johnson explained. “All this history is going to create a legacy and inspire the next generation,”
For these aspirations to materialize, the Canadian men’s team will play a crucial role. After achieving their first-ever World Cup point, win, and advancement to the knockout stage, Sunday’s victory over South Africa ensured that Les Rouges will remain in the spotlight for another six days, facing the winner of the Netherlands vs. Morocco match. “Kids are going to talk about this for the next four years and beyond.” Johnson remarked. “How can we position the CPL as really the legacy story of the 2026 World Cup, just as Major League Soccer was the legacy story coming out of the 1994 World Cup?”
“It really feels like we have the foundation now … to really grow and take this game even further in Canada. We’ve been in it for a while, but it really feels like it’s just the beginning.” echoed Ricketts. “Kids will be talking about this for the next four years and beyond.”
This World Cup ultimately presents an opportunity for growth. It allows the Canadian Premier League and Northern Super League to seize the momentum generated by the tournament. The challenge lies in creating connections between the excitement surrounding the matches of Croatia and Panama and the experiences offered by local professional teams.
“How can we position the CPL as the legacy story of the 2026 World Cup, similar to how Major League Soccer was the legacy story following the 1994 World Cup?”
“It’s looking positive,” Ricketts concluded, reflecting on the future of Canadian soccer. “It truly feels like we now have the foundation to grow and elevate this game further in Canada. We’ve been part of this for a while, but it genuinely feels like it’s just the beginning.”
- Leander Schaerlaeckens is the author of The Long Game: U.S. Men’s Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts, which is out now. He teaches at Marist University.
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