First Touch ’26 - Canada

The world is coming to Toronto and Vancouver, and Canada is determined to prove they are a soccer nation, not just a hockey one. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass unpacks how a country with one of the oldest football histories outside the UK went from years of false starts, failed leagues, and an infamous 8–1 loss in Honduras to a genuine golden generation hosting a home World Cup. We follow Alphonso Davies’ remarkable journey from refugee camp to Bayern Munich star and face of the program, then round out the core with Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustáquio, Cyle Larin and more. We trace Canada’s club landscape from NASL cult teams to MLS success stories and the rise of the Canadian Premier League, and we revisit the highs and lows from a tough 2022 World Cup debut to a statement semifinal run at the 2024 Copa América under Jesse Marsch. With host city tips, cultural flavor, and a realistic look at expectations, this episode captures a country on the cusp of turning home-field energy into a deep tournament run.