Canada’s World Cup dilemma: visit L.A. to cheer team or boycott U.S.

The world’s largest sporting tournament is throwing up a number of situations that reveal Canada’s complex relationship with its southern neighbour. Photo by Apu GOMES/AFP via Getty Images

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Canadian soccer fans face a patriotic dilemma.

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After winning their first-ever point in the 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 played in Los Angeles against South Africa on Sunday.

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So supporters had to choose whether to follow Les Rouges no matter what, or maintain a boycott of the United States that started more than a year ago, when U.S. President Donald Trump said he would use “economic force” to bend Canada into becoming the 51st state.

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Canada fans in Vancouver on their way to see their team play Switzerland.

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The world’s largest sporting tournament is throwing up a number of situations that reveal Canada’s complex relationship with its neighbour, longtime ally, No. one trading partner and World Cup co-host.

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Arylnn Poczynek, 54, used to visit the U.S. all the time, but has been boycotting since Trump’s return to office, visiting only once for a funeral. But he made an exception to his no-travel policy to fly to Los Angeles from Edmonton, Alberta, for Sunday’s contest.

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“That should give you some idea of the importance of this match to me,” he said by phone. “It’s very, very much exceptional.”

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He’s not alone: Demand looked strong for L.A. game tickets, 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, said Serson, who estimated it was about 5,600 tickets. Canada Soccer didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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Promise David, wearing number 24 for Canada, celebrates with teammates after scoring in the World Cup match against Switzerland in Vancouver on June 24.

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U.S. trips by Canadian residents are down about 30 per cent from before Trump’s return to office, according to Statistics Canada data. But Serson said he spent Thursday frantically helping supporters with tickets and travel arrangements.

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“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.”

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Elite sports help illustrate how intertwined the U.S.-Canada relationship is. The top North American professional leagues for hockey, basketball, baseball and soccer are dominated by U.S. teams but include Canadian ones as well.

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Last year, when Trump began mocking Canada and threatening tariffs, Canadians lashed out inside the arena. They loudly booed The Star-Spangled Banner before a U.S.-Canada hockey game at the Four Nations Face-Off tournament. When the U.S. flag was brought out during Toronto’s World Cup opening ceremony, some fans jeered, drawing pointed criticism from Trump’s ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. (Some also booed the U.S. flag during Mexico’s ceremony.)

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Inspiring Coach

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Canada’s head coach, Jesse Marsch, is an American. That doesn’t matter. Canadian fans have fallen for him, with his animated gestures from the touchline, his passion and the way he belts out the Canadian anthem before matches.