2026 WorldCanada Hopes 2026 World Cup Will Spark Football Boom
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (bernama) -- In a country where ice hockey has long been king, Canada is hoping the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals can help football carve out a bigger place in the hearts of its people.
As the country is co-hosting the tournament alongside the United States and Mexico, High Commisioner for Canada in Malaysia Jodi Robinson said the world's biggest football spectacle could accelerate the sport's rise and inspire a new generation of players and fans across the country.
“I hope so, to be honest. I think Canada has started to put a little bit more into their national sports teams.
“So I mean, outside of ice hockey, they have started to actually fund our soccer players because that's a bit of a difference that Canada has vis-a-vis other countries and so it's starting,” she told reporters during the watch party for the World Cup Group D US-Paraguay match here today.
US thrashed Paraguay 4-1 in the match held in Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, on Friday.
Robinson said excitement surrounding the tournament was already building across Canada, particularly as this is the first time the country is hosting the World Cup.
"Canadians are so excited about this. I mean Canada is not necessarily world-renowned for soccer, but I can tell you Canadians across the country play soccer.
“They love the sport. So to have FIFA World Cup in the backyard and to have it alongside their friends in the US and Mexico, this is a really exciting time,” she said.
Meanwhile, US Embassy Kuala Lumpur acting deputy chief of mission Morgan O’ Brien said the tournament represents an opportunity to showcase the diversity and attractions of North America to a global audience.
O'Brien said the World Cup would also provide an ideal platform to welcome visitors from around the world and encourage them to explore all three host nations.
On today’s watch party, he said the event served as an opportunity for the North American diplomatic missions in Malaysia to jointly celebrate the World Cup Finals with local football enthusiasts.
In the meantime, Mexican Ambassador to Malaysia Luis Javier Campuzano Pina believed his country’s previous experience in staging the World Cup would complement the strengths of its co-hosts, the US and Canada, in delivering a memorable edition of the tournament.
US had hosted the World Cup in 1994 while Mexico had staged the tournament twice before, in 1970 and 1986.
The 2026 World Cup Finals features 48 teams, making it the largest-ever tournament organised in the history of world football since the inaugural edition in Uruguay in 1930.
The World Cup Finals, which kicked off on Thursday, will run until July 19.
-- BERNAMA
