The World Cup Comes to Canada. But Does Anyone Care?
It does not feel as if the biggest sporting event on the planet is about to get underway in Canada. Blame staggering ticket prices, FIFA’s tyrannical resale rules and an unglamorous slate of matches in Toronto and Vancouver — Canada’s participation in three notwithstanding. Thousands of tickets to the opening game in Toronto remain unsold, and not a single match in either city has sold out. This was predictable, given that top-tier tickets for Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina start at $3,000, and those for other matches in both cities start around $600.
When the World Cup was awarded to North America after a joint bid from Canada, Mexico and the United States back in 2018, the countries felt not exactly equal, but certainly unified. As the sprawling tournament nears — opening in Mexico City on Thursday afternoon, followed by matches in Toronto and Los Angeles on Friday — they no longer feel aligned. Canada and Mexico have each been at odds with the Trump administration, currently over the free trade agreement between the countries that expires on July 1. Trillions of dollars in trade are in question, and while Mexico and the United States have held discussions, Canada has not yet formally started its trade talks. This week, Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc traveled to Washington to meet with Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative, to discuss how they might proceed. [Read: Canada-U.S. Trade Visit Starts With Another Trump ‘51st State’ Post] For now, the World Cup looks as if it will unfold in a similar isolating manner. Of the tournament’s 104 games, 13 will be in Canada, 13 in Mexico and 78 in the United States, and every match from the quarterfinals on will be in the United States.
Curious about why this World Cup feels so different, I sat down with my colleague Tariq Panja, who has been reporting on FIFA and global soccer for more than two decades. This is the fifth World Cup he’s covered, and he plans to report from all three countries. “It’s quite simply politics,” he said. “The relationship between Canada and Mexico with the United States is strained. Add to that the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, has in recent years attached himself like a barnacle to Trump, and you can see how this feels like three separate events. It was also always going to be lopsided in terms of attention.” He added: “The World Cup will have a different vibe in each country, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing what that looks like in practice. Mexico is very much a soccer nation, and it will be interesting to see how Canada and the United States catch soccer fever.” Many Canadians are unenthusiastic about the lineup of games in Toronto and Vancouver. “And they are right to feel that way,” Tariq said. “This is the luck of the draw unfortunately. And Canada is not on its own. If you look at the West Coast of the United States, too, for example, the slate of fixtures that will take place in the group stage are not as exciting, at least on paper, as elsewhere. But the World Cup is a vibe, an experience, and once the ball starts rolling, it is something communities should look to embrace to get the most out of this once-in-a-generation moment.” If you can afford it. Tickets are priced beyond the reach of many fans. “That’s absolutely not normal,” he said. “They are far higher than at any previous World Cup, the system is confusing to understand, and for the first time FIFA has implemented dynamic pricing. It will be sad, and a terrible look for FIFA, if games featuring the host nations are not played to sold-out stadiums.”
Canada is in Group B with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland and is ranked 25th among the 48 teams by ESPN and 30th by FIFA. Canada has qualified for the World Cup twice before, in 1986 and 2002, but has never won a game. Will this time be different? I know Tariq is planning to take in the Canada-Qatar match in Vancouver. “I think they have the best squad in Canadian soccer history,” he said. “So this should be a great ride for the Canadian team that will be aided by home-field advantage. I expect them to not only win a game but qualify for the knockout stages.” If you plan to attend a World Cup game or fan festival in Toronto, Vancouver or elsewhere or to watch exclusively on TV, or if you’ve decided to tune out the tournament entirely, let us know at nytcanada@nytimes.com. How to WatchGiven the ticket prices and travel logistics, watching at home or in a sports bar will appeal to many fans. TSN and RDS will broadcast all 104 games of the tournament. CTV and Crave will show selected games. Canada Group Stage MatchesAll times Eastern June 12: Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 3 p.m. at Toronto (TSN1/3/4/CTV/Crave) June 18: Canada vs. Qatar, 6 p.m. at Vancouver (TSN1/3/4/5/CTV/Crave) June 24: Switzerland vs. Canada, 3 p.m. at Vancouver (TSN1/3/4/5/CTV/Crave) World Cup Coverage From The Times
More on Canada from The Athletic
Shawna Richer is an editor on the International desk at The Times. She oversees coverage of Canada, as well as global sports, and has been writing and editing sports coverage for more than 25 years. She lives in Toronto. Trans Canada
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