Soccer in Canada | Canada Hosting the 2026 World Cup

[JHikka]

Aside from the pictures being unsourced can we try to keep away from some weird navel gazing-ey discussion re: the ethnicity of youth clubs in GTA? Thanks everyone. Perhaps the Sports in Canadian culture thread would be a better spot to count the ethnicity of athletes, if that's your sort of thing.

[Airboy]

There are reports coming out that Edmonton's mayor received a letter from the Kenny Gov that they will be joining in to support our WC bid.

[megadude]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Aside from the pictures being unsourced can we try to keep away from some weird navel gazing-ey discussion re: the ethnicity of youth clubs in GTA? Thanks everyone. Perhaps the Sports in Canadian culture thread would be a better spot to count the ethnicity of athletes, if that's your sort of thing.

At least I provided the soccer club's name for those nine pics. All others credited with the links.

Regarding the two losses, at least in the CR game, Canada did very well given the circumstances and could easily have had two goals with 10 men. Last night could easily have been a draw. If you can't go undefeated, topping the group is still mightly impressive for Canada.

I'm going to feel a little sorry for the guys who contributed in the qualifying campaign but don't make the cut for the WC roster.

[Coldrsx]

[Coldrsx]

Global news now confirming provincial support for Edmonton 2026.
https://globalnews.ca/news/8718865/w...lberta-soccer/

[Acajack]

Good on Edmonton and Alberta.

I wonder if the Quebec government will be having any regrets now?

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Good on Edmonton and Alberta.

I wonder if the Quebec government will be having any regrets now?

I doubt it. The 2 or 3 games in Montreal would have been sold out regardless of Canada's recent success. Plus, Canada is automatically qualified for WC2026, so there's that too.

Quebec made a financial decision. The CMNT has no bearing on that.

[Denscity]

I wonder what chances BC Place have of hosting. With its brand new pitch and history of supporting the national soccer teams and its own pro soccer teams for decades.
Plus the huge crowds for the WWC.

[Base]

Originally Posted by Denscity

I wonder what chances BC Place have of hosting. With its brand new pitch and history of supporting the national soccer teams and its own pro soccer teams for decades.
Plus the huge crowds for the WWC.

The new pitch would have to be removed in favour of grass for the world cup I believe.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Global news now confirming provincial support for Edmonton 2026.
https://globalnews.ca/news/8718865/w...lberta-soccer/

Steven Sandor @stevensandor
Alberta has placed conditions on its $110M funding pledge for #yeg's #WC2026 bid. City MUST host a minimum of five games and "at least two of these five games are at the round of 32 or round of 16 knockout stages" #CanMNT

So that's a no, then.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Steven Sandor @stevensandor
Alberta has placed conditions on its $110M funding pledge for #yeg's #WC2026 bid. City MUST host a minimum of five games and "at least two of these five games are at the round of 32 or round of 16 knockout stages" #CanMNT

So that's a no, then.

You never know, Toronto and Edmonton could split the 10 games with 5 each. Who knows what happens through negotiations though?

[AuxTown]

Big day tomorrow! I know there's a lot of talk about what is our ideal group, but I am just happy we are at the party! I always watch the WC group draw with interest but lament all the excitement of the other nations involved. It's our turn!

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by AuxTown

Big day tomorrow! I know there's a lot of talk about what is our ideal group, but I am just happy we are at the party! I always watch the WC group draw with interest but lament all the excitement of the other nations involved. It's our turn!

Agreed. Until we are a little more consistent in our ranking being there is a great step. Especially with only 32 teams in the field. It will be some excellent experience for the team.

[thenoflyzone]

Updated:

Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon and Morocco qualified, meaning we will be in pot 3 (assuming today's FIFA rankings.)

Here are the teams below us in pot 4.

Saudi Arabia
Ecuador
Ghana
Tunisia
Cameroon
FIFA playoff path A (Wales, Ukraine or Scotland)
CONCACAF vs OFC (most likely Costa Rica or New Zealand or Solomon Islands)
CONMEBOL vs AFC (Peru, Columbia, Chile, UAE or Australia)

Just hope that loss to Costa Rica last week wont drop our position in the rankings. if that happens, or if other teams leapfrog us, we might be in pot 4.

[elly63]

Canadian men's soccer team will be armed when it goes to Qatar for World Cup
Symbolic sword given back to team after being seized by customs in Costa Rica
Neil Davidson The Canadian Press March 28, 2022

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by elly63

Canadian men's soccer team will be armed when it goes to Qatar for World Cup
Symbolic sword given back to team after being seized by customs in Costa Rica
Neil Davidson The Canadian Press March 28, 2022

Well there you go. I knew there was a rational reason why we lost in Costa Rica

We didn't have the sword.

[thenoflyzone]

^Updated my post #1102 above with full list of pot 4 countries, so far.

[JHikka]

This site is a draw simulator for Qatar, and includes randomized outcomes for team placements based on outcomes of remaining qualifying games.

http://stattosoftware.com/wc2022/

For Canada, a win tomorrow against Panama puts us into Pot 3. A draw or a loss puts us in Pot 4. Some would think that Pot 3 would be better for us but some draws from Pot 4 are actually better, IMO.

A few random draws:
With Canada in Pot 3:
England, Croatia, Canada, Tunisia
Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia
England, Denmark, Canada, Ecuador
Portugal, Croatia, Canada, Cameroon
Spain, Netherlands, Canada, Ecuador
Brazil, Germany, Canada, Cameroon

With Canada in Pot 4:
Qatar, Uruguay, Poland, Canada
Belgium, Switzerland, Iran, Canada
Spain, Uruguay, South Korea, Canada
Spain, Croatia, South Korea, Canada
Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Canada
England, Netherlands, Japan, Canada

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

This site is a draw simulator for Qatar, and includes randomized outcomes for team placements based on outcomes of remaining qualifying games.

http://stattosoftware.com/wc2022/

For Canada, a win tomorrow against Panama puts us into Pot 3. A draw or a loss puts us in Pot 4. Some would think that Pot 3 would be better for us but some draws from Pot 4 are actually better, IMO.

A few random draws:
With Canada in Pot 3:
England, Croatia, Canada, Tunisia
Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia
England, Denmark, Canada, Ecuador
Portugal, Croatia, Canada, Cameroon
Spain, Netherlands, Canada, Ecuador
Brazil, Germany, Canada, Cameroon

With Canada in Pot 4:
Qatar, Uruguay, Poland, Canada
Belgium, Switzerland, Iran, Canada
Spain, Uruguay, South Korea, Canada
Spain, Croatia, South Korea, Canada
Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Canada
England, Netherlands, Japan, Canada

Interesting.

So it's n'importe quoi, pretty much.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by JHikka

For Canada, a win tomorrow against Panama puts us into Pot 3. A draw or a loss puts us in Pot 4. Some would think that Pot 3 would be better for us but some draws from Pot 4 are actually better, IMO.

Yup. Ending up in pot 3 and then grouping with Wales or any South American team in Pot 4 might be worse than just ending up in pot 4.

This being said, here's hoping our group is...

Qatar
Any pot 2 team
Canada
Saudi Arabia

So let's win tonight's game to make sure this scenario can happen !

Edit: just remembered Qatar and Saudi cant be in the same group, so sub in Ghana instead.