‘Forgotten’ host Canada’s unforgettable World Cup

Canada has a football culture even though it is hosting the World Cup for the first time.

It has two clubs competing in the Major League Soccer (MLS) competition: Vancouver Whitecaps, founded in 1973, and Toronto FC, founded 32 years later.

But the country has struggled to translate its passion for recreational leagues into consistently high performance, especially from the men’s national team. Meanwhile, the women’s team is currently ranked ninth worldwide by FIFA.

This tournament helped spur major financial improvements within Canada Soccer, the sport’s official national governing body. The organization recently launched a fundraiser ahead of the tournament, which reached its goal of C$25 million months ahead of schedule.

Canadian Soccer says this unexpected opportunity could deepen the game’s roots domestically through more funding for youth engagement, coaching development and support of senior and junior national teams.

The hope now is that the governing body can build on the excitement and fandom around the team, as well as long-term projects such as the establishment of a national training centre.

Meanwhile, fans of the men’s national team, nicknamed Les Rouges, are enjoying the experience of a strong tournament performance.

“It brought a lot of people together in a very segregated world that we live in,” said Zeileen Reardon, speaking in a Calgary bar while watching the team’s game against Morocco.

“I think this actually showed the world that we can come together, even for a game,” he added.

Additional reporting by Nadine Yousif and Eloise Alanna