News   Mar 28, 2024
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Canadian Soccer Association to bid for 2026 World Cup

But honestly though, I have been excited ever since it was announced that Canada would be one of the 3 hosts along with Mexico and USA. Plus, if FIFA gives us automatic qualification and we do not have to take part in qualification since we are co hosting, then that's even better for us going forward. Well because it gives us a lot of preparation time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by playing a lot of international friendly matches as well as playing in Gold Cups between now and then.

Plus then there are still other things to settle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup since Canada, USA and Mexico are all hosting such as:

1- Which of the 3 countries will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Draw in December 2025?

2- Which one of the 3 countries will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony because there is always a concert of some sort? Unless they plan on having 3 opening ceremonies in the same day on opening day?
 
Toronto is not guaranteed as a host city. Its close as it gets, as the CSA wants all 3 stadiums used, but FIFA has the final say. In the evaluation report, Toronto scored the best of all Canadian bids in every category, except stadium (it was ranked last), so who knows. Maybe FIFA goes for the biggest stadiums to maximize revenue, which would mean Toronto is out sadly. However, the plan was Toronto to host the opening match along with NYC and Mexico City.

The group Draw will be in the USA @Tg11
 
I know Edmonton they need to put in artificial grass because they have astro turf grass. But both BMO and Olympic have to be renovated that much I know.
 
Canada, USA and Mexico will all qualify automatically as hosts I think that is inevitable especially since this World Cup will be 48 teams and CONCACAF will get 6 spots potentially 7 because of the playoff

I am also thankful that Toronto is a host city because I am from there. It will be easy to watch games here especially since FIFA I know will give us the okay as a city but traveling to Edmonton or Montreal to watch games, can drive there or take a bus or train to get there.

Here in Toronto, I know it is going to be hell as far as even getting tickets to games. I can imagine tickets being expensive but to get inside BMO is going to be brutal. It will be sold out every game but at the same time we get to see the world's best footballers as well as past legends of football all in our backyard.

But what I love the most about this particular World Cup other than us co hosting with Mexico and USA is that this World Cup for the first time in history will have 48 countries. 48 teams. Which means it gives other countries a chance at getting to the show of all shows.

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But what I love the most about this particular World Cup other than us co hosting with Mexico and USA is that this World Cup for the first time in history will have 48 countries. 48 teams. Which means it gives other countries a chance at getting to the show of all shows.

Yes, more shitty football. Great.
 
Not necessarily because it gives us more games than your traditional World Cup (64 games) whereas in 2026 we get 16 extra games (80 games).

Knockout stage we get Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi Final and the Final itself. Yeah so basically we get a lot more football to watch...and with 48 teams at least more teams get a chance to be there.

  • With 16 more teams joining the World Cup party, feel-good stories should keep flowing in soccer. Just look at Costa Rica’s run to the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals and Wales reaching the European Championship semi-finals in 2016. FIFA President Gianni Infantino believes this generates “football fever” far beyond the host nation(s).
  • With 16 additional games, there’s more soccer for fans to watch in stadiums and on television, generating additional cash for FIFA. For broadcasters, there are 24 extra broadcast slots, not just 16, because there will no longer be final rounds of group games kicking off simultaneously.
  • FIFA estimates its commercial income will climb 20 per cent, and raise profits by $640-million (all figures U.S.) compared with the equivalent rates for the $5.5-billion 2018 World Cup. This would help guarantee the $5-million grants from each World Cup for each of the 211 FIFA member federations, and create extra for development projects.
  • The 80 games can be squeezed into 32 days, the current length of the 32-team World Cup, according to FIFA. The individual players’ workload won’t increase as the four semi-final teams will still play a maximum of seven matches.
 
Gone will be the days where you are able to catch every WC match. You will have to pick and choose and I worry that this will mean missing out on some great games.
 
Gone will be the days where you are able to catch every WC match. You will have to pick and choose and I worry that this will mean missing out on some great games.

Not necessarily because there could be games that could surprise us you never really know because anything can happen in football
 

What I will say is that we shall see because I remember EURO 2016 when they expanded from 16 teams to 24 teams and everyone had their doubts thinking the games wouldn't be exciting in the group stage or that there would not be as much do or die games and what happened? It exceeded the expectations and surprised a lot of people not just in the knockout stage but in the group stages which is what I'm saying. At least in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, for all we know we could end up with entertaining games all across the board from group stage even into the Knockout stage. No one really knows what to expect.

When I say do-or-die I mean there is one of two options. Win or get knocked out.
Not have win-lose-or draw like in Group stage matches. But it is all semantics.
The point is the Round of 32 setup in the Knockout stage adds a layer of excitement we have never had before especially now that we will have 48 teams for Canada-USA-Mexico in 2026.

Especially since we get that extra round of football.

Also makes the group stage seem all the more important too especially if you lose your opening game...then your next game basically would be a must win game.

For predictions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup that I saw online done

Asia (9 teams)

1- South Korea??
2- Japan??
3- Iran??
4- Saudi Arabia??
5- Qatar??
6- Australia??
7- China??
8- India?? (debutante)
9- Iraq (playoff)??

Africa (9 teams)

1- Egypt??
2- Senegal??
3- Morocco??
4- Nigeria??
5- Ghana??
6- Ivory Coast??
7- Cameroon??
8- DR Congo (debutante)??
9- Algeria??

CONCACAF (7 teams)

1- USA (Hosts)??
2- Canada (Hosts)??
3- Mexico (Hosts)??
4- Costa Rica??
5- Jamaica??
6- Haiti ??
7- Trinidad and Tobago?? (playoff)

South America (6 teams)

1- Brazil??
2- Argentina??
3- Uruguay ??
4- Colombia??
5- Chile??
6- Ecuador??

Oceania (1 team)

1- New Zealand??

Europe (16 teams)

1- France??
2- Germany??
3- Portugal??
4- Spain??
5- England???????
6- Italy??
7- Netherlands??
8- Denmark??
9- Sweden??
10- Switzerland ??
11- Poland??
12- Croatia??
13- Greece??
14- Scotland???????
15- Belgium??
16- Norway??


Group Draw predictions

Group A- Canada (hosts), Scotland, Ecuador

Group B- Germany, Algeria, Chile
Group C- France, Costa Rica, China
Group D- Brazil, Norway, Ivory Coast
Group E- Mexico (hosts), Denmark, New Zealand

Group F- Spain, Haiti, Qatar
Group G- Argentina, Cameroon, Sweden
Group H- Belgium, Australia, Trinidad & Tobago

Group I- USA (hosts), Nigeria, Greece
Group J- Portugal, South Korea, Ghana
Group K- Netherlands, Senegal, Iran
Group L- Uruguay, Jamaica, Japan
Group M- England, India, Poland
Group N- Italy, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
Group O- Colombia, Switzerland, Morocco

Group P- Croatia, DR Congo, Iraq
 
Pros outweigh cons here, people:
  • Improved infrastructure.
  • Team automatically qualifies for World Cup especially if you are Canada, USA or Mexico
  • Getting revenues in form of tickets sold, merchandise, selling TV rights, etc.
  • Give other countries' national teams a chance to shine on the world stage. Like really where can you go wrong?
  • Chance of home fans meeting global superstars face to face
  • Increase awareness about the game in general public here in Canada especially.
  • Tourism, as fans from 47 other countries visit here to watch WC.

What’s more, it will be easier to advance to the knockout rounds with two teams in every three-team group advancing to the round of 32 (as opposed to two of four teams in each group advancing to a round of 16). And with more emphasis on the results of one game—in a sport where crazy bounces, fluke goals and bad officiating often decide games—it could also be easier for the U.S. or Mexico to advance deeper in the knockout rounds against easier teams than they faced before.

If you’re a country that has never made it to the World Cup before—and there are plenty of nations in this group—your chances of qualifying just increased immensely. That is no small thing as the world’s game becomes increasingly global. In general, inclusion is a better thing than exclusion.

Despite having a bigger tournament, it won’t take any more days to complete. The 48-team World Cup in 2026 will last 32 days, just as many as the 32 days it will take with 32 teams at Russia 2018. The tournament winner will still play seven games, no more than is currently the case, so I don’t totally understand people saying that the new format will put more wear and tear on players. It won't really.
 
It’s pretty much guaranteed that Canada will play in Edmonton, given the size of the stadium. Also better for a domestic audience because there’s less hotel and international flight options.

Montreal would be good for a large African or European pool and Toronto could take more smaller games from the Caribbean, Asia or pretty much anywhere.
 

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