The FIFA World Cup tournament is about a year away, and despite Canada being a prohibitive underdog, the prime minister is hoping that we can still win it on home soil. “May Jonathan David (Canada men’s team captain) be the first Canadian to touch the trophy,” Mark Carney said Tuesday when he welcomed the 2026 World Cup trophy at the Canada Day celebrations at LeBreton Flats. Read MoreSoccer fever was high as hundreds of fans lined up on Sparks Street to get a glimpse of the trophy and take selfies this past week. Even Mark Carney was excited.
Soccer fever was high as hundreds of fans lined up on Sparks Street to get a glimpse of the trophy and take selfies this past week. Even Mark Carney was excited.
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The FIFA World Cup tournament is about a year away, and despite Canada being a prohibitive underdog, the prime minister is hoping that we can still win it on home soil. “May Jonathan David (Canada men’s team captain) be the first Canadian to touch the trophy,” Mark Carney said Tuesday when he welcomed the 2026 World Cup trophy at the Canada Day celebrations at LeBreton Flats.
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Canada is hosting the tournament along with the U.S. and Mexico, and Carney’s comments seemed like a hope and prayer, but the crowd roared in approval. Hope springs eternal.
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The trophy itself was in Ottawa as part of FIFA’s World Cup tour to whip up interest and build excitement. Soccer fever was indeed high, as hundreds of fans lined up on Sparks Street to get a glimpse of the trophy and take selfies. An Ottawa man who gave his first name as Haein, brought along his three soccer-loving sons who hope to play for Canada one day. “They love soccer and one day, hope to hoist the trophy,” he said.
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Some in Ottawa wondered whether the cup on display was the real one or a replica. They had good reason to ask: In 2006 for instance, the cup on tour was widely reported to be the real one, until news came out that it was a replica.
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FIFA has used two World Cups in its history. The first was the Jules Rimet Trophy, which Brazil won permanently in 1970. The second and current one, is an 18-karat gold trophy commissioned for the 1974 tournament. It is closely guarded in Switzerland. The reason is that the Jules Rimet trophy has been stolen twice — once in London, just before the 1966 World Cup — but was recovered days later. When it was awarded to Brazil in 1970 for winning it three times, it was again stolen in 1983, and never found.
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Since then, FIFA has kept a watchful eye on its current prized possession. Even teams that win the World Cup don’t get the original. After victory celebrations, the trophy returns to FIFA. Teams get a gold-plated replica.
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The 2026 tournament has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams. Qualifying games are still being played to determine the 45 countries that will join hosts Canada, U.S. and Mexico to bring the final number of participants to 48. (Host nations get automatic qualification.) The 48 teams will play 104 games in all, leading to the grand finale at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Rutherford, New Jersey, where a new world champion will be crowned. Interestingly, FIFA’s marketing campaign lists “New York New Jersey” as the city staging the final. It is confusing, but FIFA obviously wants a New York shine on the Word Cup, and who can blame them?