Canada sees 2026 World Cup as a chance to strengthen its league

[FILE] FIFA World Cup trophy captured during the world cup match in Brazil

With just 36 days until the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins, global anticipation is soaring.

For Canada, the tournament is a pivotal opportunity to push soccer into the mainstream and strengthen the Canadian Premier League.

Meanwhile, in Brazil, traditions endure with Rio streets decorated in vibrant murals.

Canada will host the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history.

Its national team will feature in the men’s World Cup for a third time, following previous appearances in 1986 and 2022.

Canada Soccer’s CEO, James Johnson, says the league has now entered a mature phase, and hosting the World Cup will elevate it even further.

“Like any World Cup, there is always a big opportunity to grow the sport and grow the business of the sport. Canada, for the first time in our history, will co-host the 2026 World Cup, and from our perspective, we see an opportunity to break the sport into the mainstream, to really grow the commercial revenues, and to ultimately put the Canadian Premier League at the very centre of the Canadian sports agenda.”

The CEO urged fans to attend matches and continue to support the sport, even after the World Cup.

“We’ve got two great national teams, the men’s and the women’s. We’ve got players playing in big clubs and leagues around the world. We have a new league, which is maturing in the Canadian Premier League, that is developing great players for the national teams and big clubs around the world. All the right ingredients are there, it’s about bringing those ingredients together and making magic happen, and that’s what we’re focused on doing while we’re co-hosting a World Cup.”

Meanwhile, Brazil is already buzzing with excitement, more than a month before kick-off, residents in Rio de Janeiro are decorating their streets with murals transmitting messages of peace, tolerance and inclusion.
Brazil are the most successful nation in FIFA World Cup history and the only national team to have played in every tournament since 1930.