VANCOUVER, B.C. — There's a uniquely Canadian story unfolding in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, and it's one that feels all too familiar to sports fans north of the border. Under an unprecedented three-way co-hosting agreement, the tournament's biggest moments have been split across North America's largest nations—but not equally. The United States landed December's high-profile lottery draw, Mexico claimed the opening match on June 11, and Canada? Canada got the FIFA Congress.
That gathering, which brought world soccer's most influential figures to Vancouver last week, is widely considered the least glamorous of the three prized events. For most fans, it was little more than a business meeting for sports bureaucrats—an invisible affair lost in the shadow of the spectacle to come. This trilateral imbalance reflects deeper tensions reshaping a tournament originally envisioned as a proud display of continental unity.
"The original hosting concept stressed the strength and appeal of Canada, Mexico, and the USA jointly hosting the World Cup," said John Kristick, former executive director of the 2026 United Bid Committee. "That 'united' thread has been lost in much of the marketing and coverage to date, with the USA claiming a lion's share of the attention."
From the very beginning, the United States was positioned as the tournament's center of gravity. It's slated to host roughly 75 percent of all matches, including nearly every knockout game, the semifinals, and the final. On paper, that asymmetry makes sense: the U.S. population is twice that of Canada and Mexico combined, it's geographically central, and it boasts a wealth of world-class stadium facilities for high-profile competition.
But FIFA President Gianni Infantino's relentless focus on winning over President Donald Trump has only widened the gap between the three host nations—both in power and perception. What was meant to be a celebration of North American unity has increasingly felt like an American pageant with a handful of satellite events abroad. For Canadian soccer fans, it's the most Canadian sports story imaginable: a middle power, squeezed at its own World Cup.