Home Canadian Soccer CIS and Amateur Issue 2 of Plastic Pitch: An in-depth look at Canada’s 2026 World Cup bid

Issue 2 of Plastic Pitch: An in-depth look at Canada’s 2026 World Cup bid

By Steven Sandor
Posted on June 18, 2014
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As we enjoy the current World Cup action from Brazil, Canadians can wonder what it would be like to host the world 12 years from now.

Can we afford it? How far are we into our bid for the 2026 World Cup? What kind of support exists from CONCACAF? And what would happen to all of the hard work that’s already gone into the bid if FIFA takes the 2022 World Cup away from Qatar and gives it to the United States?

The second issue of Plastic Pitch, out today, features a 16-page section on Canada’s bid for the World Cup. Get it today on iOS(CLICK HERE), Google Play(CLICK HERE) or Amazon(CLICK HERE). For current subscribers, just grab the new issue when you open the app.

PPitch2_SUMMER_UNCORRECTEDIn the issue, you’ll find
• A stunning cover, our World Cup 2026 poster imagined by Josh Holinaty
• Canadian Soccer Association President Victor Montagliani updates us on the progress of Canada’s bid
• Also, Montagliani speaks of the goal of having an all-Canadian Division 1 in place ahead of the World Cup. That’s right — a Division 1 league of our own that would “co-exist” with MLS and NASL
• CONCACAF and MLS: How do they see the bid for Canada 2026?
• Plus, in-depth looks at four likely host cities — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton. Are the prepared for 2026?

Also, you’ll find these Canadian soccer features
• Philippe Davies: Ready to retire before the Ottawa Fury came calling
• Mallan Roberts: Will he choose Canada or Sierra Leone?
• Issey Nakajima-Farran speaks about the trade that sent him from TFC to the Montreal Impact, and admits it may have been a mistake to come to MLS
• Frank Yallop on the decision to choose the Chicago coaching job, and why he didn’t wait on the Whitecaps
• Sura Yekka on the possibility of representing Canada at the Women’s U-17 World Cup, Women’s U-20 World Cup and Women’s World Cup in just over the space of a calendar year
• Rhian Wilkinson on leaving the NWSL
• Kevin Holness brings the spirit of soccer back to Saskatchewan

PLUS: You can win one of the BRAND NEW Canada jerseys from Umbro Canada — those new kits make their debut June 18 when Canada’s national women’s team faces the Germans at BC Place.

Thanks again to all our subscribers and supporters!

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2 Comments

  1. Jim

    June 24, 2014 at 12:24 am

    A 65,000 seat stadium in Toronto would be a nightmare there have been many games where the have less then 20,000.

  2. Seathanaich

    June 18, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    A Canadian WC is never going to happen. Instead of dreaming of fairies and moonbeams the CSA should actually DO SOMETHING to grow the game in this country.

    We have no 80K stadium, no prospect of ever having one, no possible use for one after a WC, and no city, province, or federal government who will pay for one.

    We do not have four 60K stadia, no prospect . . . etc.

    The recent stadium in Winnipeg and the planned one in Regina hold 33K. The two about to open in Hamilton and Ottawa hold a paltry 24K. These are not 40K stadia, let alone 60K stadia.

    If Canada wanted to hold a World Cup, the time to plan for it would have been 25 years ago, before all these facilities were built, and BC Place was upgraded (bizarrely AFTER the 2010 Olympics). If we had a 40K CFL stadium in Ottawa that was planned to add 40K temporary seats . . . if we had legitimate 60K domed CFL stadia in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal . . . if we had 35K CFL stadia that could expand to 50K in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, and Quebec . . . and if we had 20K university football stadia in Victoria and Halifax designed to hold 40K temporarily . . . THEN we could bid for a World Cup.

    That would have entailed starting to plan for this circa 1985, and a shared vision by the CSA, the CFL, the CRU, the federal government, key provincial governments (Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia). It hasn’t happened and it won’t ever happen. This is not a one city, one province event, it would require the cooperation of 12 cities in seven provinces over a period of 25 years.

    Since that’s never going to happen, the CSA, in cooperation with the CRU (Rugby Canada), the CFL, and CIS (university sport) should be trying to get 10K grass stadia in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal to grow D2 men’s pro soccer, women’s soccer, men’s rugby, and women’s rugby. Doing THAT would make possible a Canadian D2 mens league, a Canadian team in the NWSL, and profitable home games for the CSA, the CRU, and CIS soccer. THAT’S feasible and realistic. The drivel they’re spouting is not.

    With the stadia we do have, Canada should be making a serious bid for the IRB Rugby World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is not a possibility other than one or two cities tacked on to a US bid; and why would they bother sharing? There is nothing in that for them.

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