‘Forgotten’ host Canada’s unforgettable World Cup

Canada, while a first-time World Cup host, does have a soccer culture.

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

But the country has struggled to translate a recreational league passion into consistent high performance, in particular with the men’s national team. Meanwhile, the women’s team is currently ranked ninth globally by Fifa.

This tournament has helped to spur massive financial improvements to Canada Soccer, the official national governing body for the sport. The body launched a fundraiser before the tournament that recently met its C$25m target months ahead of schedule.

That windfall could deepen the roots of the game domestically, Canada Soccer says, through more funding for youth participation, coaching development, and support for senior and youth national teams.

Now, the hope is the governing body can build on the buzz and fandom around the team, as well as longer-term projects such as the establishment of a national training centre.

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

“It brought a lot of people together in a very kind of segregated world that we’re living in,” said Zeileen Reardon, who spoke while watching the team play Morocco in a bar in Calgary.

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

Additional reporting by Nadine Yousif and Eloise Alanna