It happens once every four years, and it’s finally here again – the FIFA World Cup. And the best part? Canada gets to host it this year (alongside Mexico and the United States), with 13 matches being played in the Great White North this year.
Those 13 matches will be split across Vancouver (which gets 7 matches) and Toronto (which gets 6). Unfortunately, Canada’s role as host ends with the knockout stages this time around, meaning if you want to watch the semi-finals or finals live, in-person, in the stadium yourself, you’re going to need to grab your passport and do some traveling south.
But even so, Canada is going to host some pretty damn exciting soccer games in a few months; here are some you absolutely cannot afford to miss out on.
JUNE 12 – THE FIRST FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER GAME ON CANADIAN SOIL
This is the big one, the one that everyone will probably want to watch. It’s the first World Cup soccer game ever played in Canada, it’s the first game Canada is playing this year, and it’s being played in Toronto.
With the game being played on the second day of the World Cup, the hype and buzz will be high, even among those who otherwise don’t typically follow or care about soccer, and Canada’s participation in the game will obviously incite even more interest. We don’t actually know who Canada will be playing against in this match yet (that will depend on who ends up winning the UEFA group A playoffs), but that’s almost besides the point. The point is to celebrate and support Canada, no matter who they’re playing against. If you do care about who Canada might be playing though, expect it to be
If there’s one World Cup game you watch this year, make it this one. The atmosphere in the stadium will probably be electric, and even if you can’t make it to watch it in person yourself, you can still go to one of many, many watch parties that will be held across bars, pubs, and other similar venues in Toronto and all across the country. Even if you don’t care about soccer in general, this is the one time to let your guard down and join in on the fun!
JUNE 18 – CANADA VS QATAR
The second of the three group stage games that Canada will play is also being played in Canada, but all the way on the West Coast, in Vancouver. This of course means that soccer fans on the other end of the country get to join in on the fun, and turn up to support the Canadian team. It also means that non-soccer fans over in B.C. get to join in on the fun and electric excitement too.
Unlike the June 12 game, this one does have a defined opponent that Canada will be playing against, Qatar. But, again, who the other team is is almost besides the point, as most people will be watching this either to support Canada, or just to soak in the moment of national unity and charged atmosphere.
Whether you’re going to watch this in person at the stadium, or in a watch party, definitely try to do your best to make it to this one. Folks over in Vancouver with a particular interest in watching soccer games live in the stadium will probably be heartened to know too that if they miss their chance with this one, there’s another game that Canada will be playing in Vancouver just a week later when they play against Switzerland.
THE FIFA WORLD CUP CANADA CELEBRATES TOUR
Canada’s a whole lot bigger than Vancouver and Toronto though, so how do soccer fans across the country who aren’t in those cities join in on the festivities? While many will assuredly be making their way to Toronto and Vancouver just for this purpose, the folks at FIFA have also kindly set up the “Canada Celebrates” tour specifically to let everyone join in on the fun.
The Canada Celebrates tour is a cross-country fan festival, involving one day events with giant screens showing live feeds of the matches, fan celebration zones, and folks from the Canadian Premier League, Major League Soccer, and Northern Super League showing up and joining in on the festivities too. It will kick off in British Columbia and Nova Scotia on 11 June, and will then make its way across Canada and up-to 40 cities – so everyone gets to be included!
