[Football] 2026 World cup

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Football is very popular in Canada, a lot of people follow the Premier League. There's just a general love of sport amongst a lot of Canadians.

On top of that, there's a huge number of immigrants from other football countries. If you go out on the streets of Toronto now there's World Cup flags everywhere.

I have less knowledge of Canada so thats good to hear. It's a shame they couldn't have gone for it by themselves.

That's about 20 years out of date - soccer is right up there in terms of popularity. It has always been a high participation sport, but was slow to be taken seriously, principally because of a lack of professional league. But things have changed.

MLS is still not taken seriously in many parts of the country, but Americans love the Mexican league, the Premier league, La Liga and Bundesliga - in that order. MLS viewing figures are third behind Mexican and English football. The point is that whilst MLS struggles for relevance, the sport certainly doesn't. Soccer TV ratings collectively absolutely dwarf those of NHL and are comfortably better than the NBA.

As for the World Cup, it is absolutely huge and has been so since at least 2006. It's why the USA took more fans to South Africa 2010 than any other country, and were in the top 3 of travelling numbers in Brazil too.

It's based on my personal experience of the country and the many Americans I have met, am friends with and work(ed) with. If it's a wrong impression it's a wrong impression. It might turn out a lot of people but then again a lot of people live there. $400 a ticket? Ridiculous. A four week tournament spread out over three big countries two of which are considerably bigger than the entire continent of Europe. Ridiculous. Going back to a country that had it recently when FIFA talk about spreading the game. Ridiculous.

It will be a perfectly nice world cup. It won't be the joyous, soulful, passionate affair it would have been in Morocco. It'll be a slick money making event.

Basically I'm just sad it's not in Morocco. That would have been an old school cool world cup.

 

[heathgate]

It irks a bit that Mexico will now be hosts for a 3rd time, the US twice...... and others who have already had it twice, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany... just off the top of my head. Are We ever going to hold it again?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It irks a bit that Mexico will now be hosts for a 3rd time, the US twice...... and others who have already had it twice, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany... just off the top of my head. Are We ever going to hold it again?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Acapulco or Stoke? Hmmmm, let me think about that one.

 

[heathgate]

Acapulco or Stoke? Hmmmm, let me think about that one.

Less decapitation in Stoke at least.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Less decapitation in Stoke at least.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Fair point.

 

[Triggaaar]

This 48 team thing is a disgrace. They've already ruined the Euros (where it's now almost impossible to go out in the first round and the eventual winners can finish third in their group) and now the World Cup will be spoiled in a similar manner.

Always used to say that the Euros were a tougher tournament because of the format and there being fewer shit teams. Not any more.

If the extra teams are all given to Europe, it won't be so bad.

For this World Cup, Italy finish 2nd to Spain (they couldn't both finish top) and fail to qualify. Meanwhile, Panama finish 3rd, behind Mexico and Costa Rica, and they qualify automatically. It's ****ed up.

1 Spain - Q
2 Italy
3 Albania
4 Israel
5 Macedonia
6 Liechtenstein

1 Mexico - Q
2 Costa Rica - Q
3 Panama - Q
4 Honduras
5 United States
6 Trinidad and Tobago

 

[seagulls4ever]

If the extra teams are all given to Europe, it won't be so bad.

For this World Cup, Italy finish 2nd to Spain (they couldn't both finish top) and fail to qualify. Meanwhile, Panama finish 3rd, behind Mexico and Costa Rica, and they qualify automatically. It's ****ed up.

1 Spain - Q
2 Italy
3 Albania
4 Israel
5 Macedonia
6 Liechtenstein

1 Mexico - Q
2 Costa Rica - Q
3 Panama - Q
4 Honduras
5 United States
6 Trinidad and Tobago

That's the CONCACAF fifth round of qualifying. Panama entered at round 4, which all the other teams there had to get through first too. We don't have that kind of system in Europe ... perhaps we should.

 

[Marty McFly]

The 2026 World Cup host cities have now been confirmed.

Canada:
Vancouver
Toronto

Mexico:
Mexico City
Monterrey
Guadalajara

USA:
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Kansas City
Dallas
Atlanta
Houston
Boston
Philadelphia
Miami
New York/New Jersey

Personally I'd have liked more Canadian representation. Edmonton was rejected by FIFA, and Montreal dropped out of the bidding process.

 

[Springal]

Can’t wait. I reckon this will be the best one I’ve ever been to

 

[Marty McFly]

Can’t wait. I reckon this will be the best one I’ve ever been to

It'll be the only one I've ever been to!

If I can get a ticket to Toronto, that is! Not sure of their bid details, but really hoping they will expand it considerably. There has been talk of expanding BMO Field to 45k (https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/bmo-fiel...s-host-city-for-2026-world-cup-tory-1.5676155)

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Edmonton will be green

 

[Hamilton]

It'll be the only one I've ever been to!

It'll be another one I've never been to.

 

[Badger]

I'm looking forward to this. I probably need to start joining supporters clubs if I want any hope of getting a ticket for a match in Toronto.

I think a road trip might be on the cards too.