Dwayne De Rosario Anticipates Youth Impact from 2026 World Cup in Canada
Dwayne De Rosario is eager for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, which he believes will positively impact youth soccer. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and aims for lasting benefits from the event.
Former Canadian star Dwayne De Rosario is excited about the upcoming World Cup, expressing enthusiasm for how it will affect youth soccer in Canada. Growing up in Scarborough, one of De Rosario's dreams was to play in the World Cup, a goal that never materialized. Now, at 46, he can't wait for the world's biggest sporting event to take place in Canada.
“We will see soccer in this country at levels that we've never seen before,” De Rosario stated during an event at the Regent Park Community Centre, where city officials marked a 500-day countdown to the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament will see Canada co-hosting with the United States and Mexico, featuring six matches in Toronto and seven in Vancouver. To meet FIFA requirements, BMO Field is under renovation to expand seating capacity to at least 45,000.
During the event, De Rosario engaged with children, participating in drills and discussing the significance of teamwork. He highlighted the need for young people to experience lasting benefits from the games. “They say football is a European or South American or African sport, now we can say football is a North American sport, too,” he remarked.
De Rosario, who acknowledges his roots in inner-city communities, believes that sports can provide pathways for youth to succeed. He is confident that Canada's experience at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, combined with home-field advantage, will bode well for the national team. “I think the odds favour us in a lot of ways,” he said, commending national team coach Jesse Marsch and the team's aggressive playing style.
Close to $400 million has been pledged by the three levels of government for the six matches in Toronto. Toronto's executive director for hosting the event, Sharon Bollenbach, assured that ongoing political changes would not impact these funding commitments.
FIFA holds biannual consultations with the 16 host cities to ensure preparations remain on track. Bollenbach expressed excitement over engaging the Toronto community and building hype around the event.
Part of the legacy plan includes ensuring that the games provide long-term benefits to communities, with advisory groups formed to oversee aspects of sports, arts, culture, economic development, sustainability, and human rights. “It wasn't just us sitting at City Hall and thinking that we knew what is important to communities,” Bollenbach stated, indicating a commitment to represent under-represented communities.
