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The World Cup is back, and we’re only a couple of weeks away from Canada’s return to soccer’s biggest competition. Here’s how to watch and what to expect.
Wait, Is Canada in This One?
Yes! For the first time in 36 years, the Canadian men’s team will be playing in the World Cup!
Now, you may be wondering what’s up with the Canadian women. Fair point, considering how truly excellent they are. In soccer, women have their own World Cup, which you can watch next summer.
When Is the World Cup?
The World Cup runs from November 20 to December 18, and it’s being held in Qatar. If you’re thinking “Wait a minute, isn’t this supposed to be a summer thing?” you’re right. Normally the World Cup is played in the summer, but because of temperatures in Qatar, they’re doing it later.
Assuming you want to cheer for Team Canada, key dates to be aware of are November 23, when we play Belgium, November 27, when we play Croatia, and December 1, when we play Morocco.
So, How Can I Watch It?
TSN is the channel broadcasting World Cup games in Canada in English, though it’s worth noting that some games will be on CTV or TSN2. You can check their broadcast schedule here. If you prefer to watch in French, then check out RDS. It’s worth noting that all games are streamable on TSN’s app, so you can watch World Cup soccer from your phone, laptop, tablet, or OTT streaming setup.
Of course, you could always watch the games at a sports bar or restaurant with a crew of other people and really get into the World Cup spirit.
Will Canada Do Well?
At the time of writing, Canada is ranked 41 in FIFA rankings, just above Norway and just below Scotland. Our first opponent, Belgium, is ranked number 2. Nobody is really expecting a surprise Canadian victory at the World Cup.
But here’s the thing: Canada has gotten really good, really fast. We were 122 back in 2014 and 94 in 2018, when John Herdman took over as head coach. Now that we’re back at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, it’s fair to expect that Canada will play some great games and finally give fans at home something to talk about.
What About the Other Teams?
The current top five teams are Brazil, Belgium, Argentina, France, and England. Oddsmakers like all five, in addition to Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. In terms of games that will surely be entertaining, consider England vs. USA on November 25, Argentina vs. Mexico on November 26, and Spain vs. Germany on November 27. No matter how you slice it, expect a great month of soccer!
