Open this photo in gallery:
Members of the media walk through the stands at BMO Field as the City of Toronto and MLSE complete the first phase of upgrades in transforming the space into the 2026 World Cup-ready Toronto Stadium on Sept. 23.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
If anyone was still under the misapprehension that Canada is an equal partner in the upcoming World Cup, FIFA disabused them of that notion shortly after noon on Saturday.
Friday’s draw determined who would play whom, and when. But for the first time, it did not decide where.
That was left to an opaque process of FIFA’s own. They took 24 hours to think about it, and then they shafted Canada. It was a gentle shafting, but a shafting nonetheless.
Amazingly, this required an additional stage production, once again starring FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. The long-time sports bureaucrat is becoming the Mel Tormé of world sport.
Canada set to open World Cup campaign at Toronto’s BMO Field in June
Toronto’s BMO Field was theoretically on tap for two England games in Group L. In terms of global viewership and interest, either of them would have been by far the biggest sporting event to ever take place in the city.
The first possibility was the prize of the opening round – England versus 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia on June 17th. That went to AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Okay, I get it. The stadium in Texas seats 80,000 to BMO Field’s 45,000. Fair enough.
But that left another game – England vs. Ghana. That match was also diverted south, to Foxborough outside Boston.
Canada gets Ghana/Panama and Croatia/Panama instead. Those are good games involving good teams in a competitive group, but still. What a bummer.
Cathal Kelly: Gretzky gave us a spectacle of meme-able proportions at the World Cup draw
Elsewhere, the pattern continued. BMO could have had another of the very few great matches on paper in the opening round – 2022 finalists France against rising power Norway.
Nope, Foxborough got that one, too. Toronto gets Senegal versus either Bolivia or Suriname.
In each instance where there was a good game versus a not-so-great game, America got dibs and Canada got their leftovers.
As a consolation, Toronto got Germany vs. Ivory Coast on June 20th. A quality matchup featuring the four-time world champions, but not what you’d call must-watch TV.
We do get one of two possible Belgiums in B.C., though that’s a damp squib – Vancouver will get to watch Belgium run over New Zealand.
I maintain that there is a place where the World Cup is best viewed – in a bar, in a Canadian city, amidst the descendants of one of the teams that happens to be playing that day. Both of them, if you’re lucky. You will not get more or better atmosphere than that, amongst real people who don’t have a couple of grand to toss around on an afternoon of fun. Aside from the price of drinks, it’s free.
But I get that many people prefer the live experience. Presuming they are neutral fans looking to see the most famous participants, what a disappointment for them. They gambled and lost. That makes them like all countries who put their faith in FIFA.
Q+A: What is Canada’s path to winning the 2026 World Cup? Ask us your FIFA questions
There’s one good thing to come of this predictable setback. Now we know that Canada was right not to go wild with the investments in this tournament.
Looking back, you can imagine some hyperventilating combo of federal, provincial and civic governments getting visions of a big Brazil or Spain match in their heads. Then getting each other in a room, ginning one another into a frenzy, and going all out to build a couple of gigantic, brand new, showcase stadiums to house it. That’s how it would have happened 30 years ago.
Instead, we stuck with the boring, aging, mid-sized stadiums we already have. On Saturday, it became indisputable that that was the right call. If somebody in Vancouver and/or Toronto wants new stadiums, they should pay for them themselves.
The World Cup is still going to be great. It’s still going to be a ton of fun at the venues, which will be packed for every game. If you’re fortunate enough to have tickets, it’s bragging rights for years.
It’s just not going to be what Canada had dreamed of when they signed up for this. That puts the pressure to entertain where it’s most useful – on the Canadian team.
What’s Canada’s path to the World Cup?
On Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. ET, sports reporter Paul Attfield and columnist Cathal Kelly will answer reader questions on Canada’s path in the 2026 World Cup and how it could fare in the group matchups and beyond. Submit your questions in the form below, or by e-mailing audience@globeandmail.com with “World Cup” in the subject line.
