Football’s popularity is continuing to grow in Canada despite the country’s long-standing love affair with ice hockey, with co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup expected to provide another major boost to the sport.
Canada defender Joel Waterman said the game has become increasingly popular among young people, with nearly one million registered players nationwide in a country traditionally dominated by hockey, basketball, baseball and American and Canadian football.
“We’re Canadian and obviously hockey has always been our top sport, but there’s more kids playing soccer nowadays than ever before,” Waterman told reporters.
“It’s really easy to get into and the kids love it. It’s just a ball. They can play it anywhere. We want to see people playing in the streets.”
Waterman said the enthusiasm surrounding the World Cup has been evident, pointing to five-a-side pitches set up in Toronto that attracted young fans.
“In Toronto, they had little 5 v 5 pitches in the centre there and we went down there to watch. It was just great to see the passion and we want to create that community of soccer players and the next generation to come through and play for our national team,” he said.
Canada opened their Group B campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina and will face 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in Vancouver on Thursday.
For Waterman, who hails from Aldergrove in British Columbia and plays for Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, returning to Vancouver carries special significance.
“It means the world. I’m only an hour from my hometown. This is obviously the province where I’m from,” he said.
“I have immense pride in representing those people that are from here and in those communities, representing my old clubs that I used to play for. So, it’s a true honour.”
Reuters
