RichM Imagine the WC going from Qatar to US/Canada to Saudi Arabia. What a massive two fingers up to the traditional football nations all over the world that they have to play the biggest football tournament in the world in countries that can’t play football and have very little interest in it
I can’t speak to US numbers, but Canadian TV viewing numbers suggest otherwise. 1 out of every 4 Canadians watched Canada play at the WQ. ‘Soccer’ (CRINGE) is the most heavily participated sport in all of Canada. Hockey is vastly behind and it’s embroiled in a sexual and racial abuse scandal. Parents are abandoning the sport and Hockey Canada is complaining their registration numbers are suffering horribly.
We have a new - albeit pretty shite - professional league that’s in its fourth year and is designed around having young Canadian players develop further and move on to better leagues. Academies are popping up everywhere and there’s now an actual pipeline for players to develop beyond 12-13 years old here. The MLS has also helped improve the culture and awareness surrounding the game.
By 2026 I think you’re going to see a huge shift. My 5 year old son doesn’t give a shit about hockey. For him it’s all footy and basketball. I think that’s the case for a lot of kids under 18.
