Suddenly it is soccer season! Game mania has descended on the country in full force, as Canada proudly co-hosts the FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mexico and the United States.
Canadians in for a Feast of Food, Fans, and Football
So let the party begin! In homes, on the streets, in restaurants and bars, and in the stadiums, Canadians are in for a veritable feast of food, fans, and football – as the Brits call the beloved game of soccer.
Canadians have a big appetite for the game. The country will be competing in Group B at the tournament, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland. Everyone, be they residents or visitors, will have an opportunity to get a true taste of Canadian cuisine, wherever they enjoy the games.
With the country's participation, along with nationalistic pride for our team, we will also be celebrating all things yummy, from our famous award-winning chefs to Michelin-star restaurants and humble eateries that stand head and shoulders among the best in the world.
We are known for so many great dishes: burgers to poutine, smoked meat to maple syrup, Nanaimo bars to butter tarts, bacon to our famous beer – everything good and delicious about Canadian cuisine is set to be served up on the world stage. And dollars to doughnuts – we are ready to serve it all up!
Canadian Cuisine Reflects Cultural Diversity
This thrust-your-chest-out-with-pride is sure to carry us well into July 1 Canada Day festivities, and we suspect that FIFA World Cup soccer will make this year's celebrations that much more special. Especially when you know that the majority of the players who make up the CANMNT (Canada Men's National Team) are from Canada.
"It is an honour to name our squad for a World Cup on home soil," said Jesse Marsch, CANMNT's head coach at Canada Soccer. "These players reflect the many communities, cultures, and journeys that make up this country. They are determined, fearless, and proud to wear Canada across their chest. We look forward to uniting Canadians this summer, and we invite everyone to be part of this journey with us."
And that includes celebrating with Canadian foods and a cuisine that reflects the culturally diverse landscape that makes up this great nation. Everyone has been invited to the table. Team Canada members are doing their part with a plethora of food and snack endorsements and official corporate partnerships that include everything from chicken to potato chips to cookies to snacks and more. Many of the players are officially endorsing a variety of food products – Lay's Bacon Poutine chips honour the iconic Quebec dish with CANMNT stars like Richie Laryea and Nathan Saliba appearing on the packaging.
According to Canada Soccer, CANMNT goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau will represent Dare as an ambassador for the company's famous Bear Paws cookies. You will find everyone from McDonald's to Ferrero Canada to Maple Lodge Farms giving everyone a taste on Canadian soil for soccer-inspired foods.
Which begs the question: Is there a definitive food that truly speaks to the nation? Truth be told, there really is not one food that defines the country, although the deepest roots can be traced to Indigenous cooking dating back hundreds of years.
That said, throughout the decades, Canada's cuisine has evolved, and today it is more a reflection of the multicultural fabric that envelops the country, and exhibits the diversity of everyone who lives and cooks here.
For this, we say – Canada has certainly SCOOORRREEED!
Famous Canadian Dishes
Foods that define the nation include the following:
- Poutine: The darling dish that started in Quebec back in the 1950s, these thick-cut fries, rich gravy, and fresh, squeaky cheese curds lead the charge.
- Tourtière: With its satisfying filling of pork, beef, veal, and distinctive spices, this traditional French-Canadian dish has been around since the 1600s and continues to be one of the most popular dishes in the Canadian food repertoire.
- Peameal bacon: What distinguishes peameal from regular bacon is that it is made from a lean pork loin rather than pork belly.
- Montreal-style smoked meat: This kosher-style deli meat is a mainstay of Quebec cuisine and can be found across the country.
- Split pea soup: With its ham-hock base, the longer you simmer this soup, the richer and more flavourful the taste.
- Lobster rolls: This delicious sandwich may have its roots in New England, but Canada's East Coast is known to produce some of the finest lobster rolls in the world. A simple yet complex sandwich, depending on the ratio of lobster meat, softness of the bun, and mayo.
- Nanaimo bars: Named after Nanaimo, B.C., this iconic Canadian treat finds its roots in the 1952 Ladies Auxiliary to the Nanaimo General Hospital cookbook.
- Butter tarts: If you had to say Canada had an official taste, it would be the butter tart! This delightful dessert (with or without raisins or currants and with butter or lard-based pastry) dates back to the early 1900s, with the earliest recipe found in the Royal Victoria cookbook by Margaret MacLeod.
