Canadian soccer fans face a patriotic dilemma as the men's national team advances in the FIFA World Cup, with a knockout match scheduled in Los Angeles against South Africa on Sunday. The game forces supporters to choose between following Les Rouges regardless of location or maintaining a boycott of the United States that began over a year ago when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st state.
Travel to U.S. Plummets Amid Political Tensions
Trips to the United States by Canadian residents have dropped about 30 per cent from before Trump’s return to office, according to Statistics Canada data. The decline reflects widespread frustration among Canadians over Trump's tariffs and annexation rhetoric. However, the World Cup match in Los Angeles is drawing exceptions.
Arylnn Poczynek, 54, from Edmonton, Alberta, used to visit the U.S. frequently but has boycotted since Trump’s return, traveling only once for a funeral. He made an exception to fly to Los Angeles for Sunday’s contest. “That should give you some idea of the importance of this match to me,” he said by phone. “It’s very, very much exceptional.”
Strong Ticket Demand for L.A. Match
Demand for tickets to the Canada-South Africa game is robust, according to Matt Serson, a director of The Voyageurs, a Canada team supporters’ group. An allotment of seats from Canada’s soccer governing body “sold out within minutes” on Thursday morning, Serson estimated at about 5,600 tickets. Canada Soccer did not respond to a request for comment.
“We’ve got tons of messages already over social media, Canadians who are in L.A., asking about tickets — so it’ll be a very pro-Canadian crowd,” Serson said. He spent Thursday helping supporters with tickets and travel arrangements.
Canada's World Cup Journey and Political Context
After winning their first-ever point in a FIFA World Cup, then their first-ever match, the Canadian men’s team missed the chance to stay in Vancouver for the knockout stage when they lost to Switzerland. Instead, they moved to Los Angeles. The world’s largest sporting tournament is highlighting Canada’s complex relationship with its southern neighbour, a longtime ally, top trading partner, and World Cup co-host.
Elite sports illustrate the intertwined U.S.-Canada relationship. Major North American professional leagues for hockey, basketball, baseball, and soccer are dominated by U.S. teams but include Canadian ones. Last year, when Trump began mocking Canada and threatening tariffs, Canadians booed The Star-Spangled Banner before a U.S.-Canada hockey game at the Four Nations Face-Off tournament. During Toronto’s World Cup opening ceremony, some fans jeered the U.S. flag, drawing criticism from Trump’s ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. (Some also booed the U.S. flag during Mexico’s ceremony.)
American Coach Embraced by Canadian Fans
Canada’s head coach, Jesse Marsch, is an American. That hasn’t deterred Canadian fans, who have embraced him for his animated touchline gestures, passion, and the way he belts out the Canadian anthem before matches.
