With less than three months to go until the official kick-off of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the event no longer seems like something abstract to Canadians.
According to a new Leger poll conducted in collaboration with Brain Research, in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, Canadians are becoming more aware of the tournament and broadly support Canada’s role as host. However, awareness and support do not automatically translate into deep engagement. Compared with Mexico, where World Cup and soccer culture remains far more prominent, Canadians continue to appear more like enthusiastic hosts than devoted fans.
Awareness Is Rising in Canada
Awareness of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has grown in Canada. According to the latest Leger X Brain Research survey on the topic, 69% of Canadians are aware that Canada, the United States, and Mexico will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, up 12 points from November 2025.
Even so, Canada still trails Mexico on awareness. Awareness remains highest in Mexico at 88%, compared with 57% of Americans say they are aware of the tournament’s North American host format.
💡That gap matters because awareness often drives attention, conversation, and commercial activity. Canada is moving in the right direction, but the public is not yet at full tournament fever.
Support for Hosting Remains Strong Across Canada
Support for hosting remains one of the clearest signals in the data collected.
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- 74% of Canadians say they support Canada hosting World Cup matches.
- Only 12% are opposed.
That puts Canada well ahead of the United States on support, at 60%, though still behind Mexico, where support stands at 85%.
💡Canadians may not be obsessively following every development, but they are comfortable with the country playing a visible role on the global stage. The foundation is there. The challenge now is turning passive approval into active participation.
Fan Engagement in Canada Still Has a Ceiling
That is where the next part of the story gets more interesting. The findings suggest that Canadians are supportive, but not yet deeply invested in the event.
Only 27% of Canadians say they expect to follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup very closely or somewhat closely, which is one point lower than in the previous survey last November and far below the 67% of Mexicans who say the same. Americans sit at a similar level to Canadians, at 26%.
💡While the appetite for the tournament is clearly real across the continent, public enthusiasm in Canada still appears more measured than feverish.
Public Spending Is Canadians’ Top Concern
Although Canadians support hosting, they are not carefree about it. They continue to voice practical concerns about it. Their biggest concern is public spending.
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- 65% of Canadians say they are concerned about taxpayer funds and government spending related to hosting the World Cup;
- 50% of Canadians say they are concerned about protests or security disruptions;
- 48% of Canadians say they are concerned about traffic and transit congestion;
- 33% of Canadians say they are concerned about accommodation costs;
- 30% of Canadians say they are concerned about venue readiness.
Team Canada Is the Main Emotional Hook for Canadians
National pride remains a clear point of connection. Canadians become more emotional around the national team. Two-thirds of Canadians (66%) say they will cheer for Canada the most during the tournament. England, Argentina, and Brazil are distant second choices, but Team Canada is clearly the main attraction.
💡That matters because national pride may be the most effective way to increase engagement between now and kickoff. Canada is not entering this event as a neutral venue. This gives organizers, the media, and sponsors a clear narrative to work with.
A Big Event, but Not Yet a Full-Blown Frenzy
For now, Canadians look ready to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but it remains to be seen whether they will fully embrace it once the first whistle blows.
Taken together, the results suggest that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is gaining traction in Canada, but still has room to grow in salience and emotional intensity. Awareness is up. Support is steady and strong. Pride in Team Canada is clear. But day-to-day engagement remains limited, especially when compared with Mexico’s much deeper football culture.
That makes the next few months important. Toronto has already marked the 100-days-to-go milestone, and the city has designated Fort York and The Bentway as venues for the FIFA Fan Festival. FIFA has also launched Canada Celebrates, a countrywide program designed to build local energy around the tournament. The opportunity now is simple. Turn a supportive public into an engaged one.
Methodology
This online survey was conducted among 1,639 Canadian residents, 1,006 American residents, and 608 Mexican residents aged 18 or older, from March 13 to 16, 2026. Respondents were randomly recruited through LEO’s online panel in Canada and the United States, and through an external supplier in Mexico. Results were weighted by key demographic variables to ensure representative samples.
A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample, but for comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of ±2.42% for Canada, ±3.09% for the United States, and ±3.97% for Mexico, 19 times out of 20.
