January 27, 2018 — If Canada co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches played in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal, four-in-ten (43%) Canadians say they would be very (23%) or somewhat (20%) likely to watch games (on TV or online) or attend them in-person.
On April 10, 2017, the soccer federation presidents of Canada, Mexico, and the United States announced that they would submit a joint bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup sporting event. If this joint bid is successful, it would be the first World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries.
Four-in-ten (42%) Canadians are very (22%) or somewhat (20%) likely to watch a Canada co-hosted 2026 World Cup on TV or online, and two-in-ten (21%) are very (8%) or somewhat (13%) likely to attend matches in-person.
- Canadians who are the most likely to watch matches during a Canada co-hosted 2026 World Cup can be found in Ontario (54%), BC (46%), Alberta (42%), and Saskatchewan (39%). They are less likely to be found in Manitoba (34%), Atlantic Canada (29%), and Quebec (28%).
- Canadians who are the most likely to attend matches during a Canada co-hosted 2026 World Cup can be found in Ontario (28%), BC (25%), and Alberta (22%). They are less likely to be found in Saskatchewan (16%), Quebec (13%), Manitoba (12%), and Atlantic Canada (8%).
These are the results from a new national survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights. The online survey was conducted from December 11 to 18, 2017 among a random sample of 1,207 adult Canadians. As a guideline, a probability sample of this size carries a margin of error of ±2.8%, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error is larger for sub-segments.
WORLD CUP 2018
Looking forward to a World Cup that is closer on the calendar, a third (34%) of Canadians say they are very (16%) or somewhat (17%) likely to watch games (on TV or online) or attend the FIFA World Cup being hosted by Russia in June and July of this year.
- Notably, this projection is 9% lower than for a Canada co-hosted World Cup in 2026.
A third (33%) of Canadians are very (16%) or somewhat (17%) likely to watch the 2018 World Cup on TV or online, but just 4% are very (1%) or somewhat (2%) likely to attend matches in-person.
- Canadians who are the most likely to watch 2018 World Cup matches can be found in Ontario (44%), BC (34%), and Alberta (32%). They are less likely to be found in Saskatchewan (29%), Manitoba (26%), Quebec (22%), and Atlantic Canada (17%).
To learn more, read our report.
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