World Cup
Canada seeks to raise soccer profile and league growth with 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup offers a chance to drive soccer into Canada’s mainstream, boost commercial revenues and elevate the Canadian Premier League, said James Johnson, commissioner of the country’s top-tier domestic competition.
The tournament – the first edition of the global showpiece to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by Canada, alongside the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.
“Like any World Cup, there is always a big opportunity to grow the sport and grow the business of the sport,” Johnson, who is also the Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Business, told Reuters in an interview.
“Canada, for the first time in our history, will co-host the 2026 World Cup. From our perspective, we see an opportunity to break the sport into the mainstream, to really grow commercial revenues, and ultimately to put the Canadian Premier League at the very centre of the Canadian sports agenda.”
Canada will appear at the men’s World Cup for a third time, following previous appearances in 1986 and 2022.
Coached by American Jesse Marsch, their squad includes Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, the team’s captain, and Juventus forward Jonathan David.
“We’ve got two great national teams, the men’s and the women’s. We’ve got players playing at big clubs and in top leagues around the world,” Johnson said.
The Canadian Premier League was founded in 2017 and played its first season in 2019. Johnson believes the league is now entering a more mature phase.
“We have a new league, a relatively new league, that is maturing in the Canadian Premier League, developing great players for the national teams and for big clubs around the world,” he said.
“All the right ingredients are there. It’s about bringing those ingredients together and making magic happen. That’s what we’re focused on doing as we co-host a World Cup.”
The Canadian Premier League has also positioned itself at the forefront of innovation. In April, a goal scored under soccer’s experimental “daylight” offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match.
The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA’s head of global football development, is now being assessed in Canada as a potential future change to the laws of the game.
“What we’re doing with FIFA and Wenger is something new. It’s innovative. We think it’s great for the sport,” Johnson added.
“It’s created a lot of debate, both around video football support and the daylight rule, and that’s a good thing. We see our role as creating interest in our league.
“We want more discussion in Canada, but we also want to be part of a global conversation that is driving the sport forward. We think we’re doing that through the implementation of these new rules.”
-Reuters
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Few strikers in international football history can match the scoring exploits of Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku.
The powerful forward has amassed an astonishing 93 goals for the Red Devils, establishing himself as his country’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most prolific marksmen the international game has ever seen.
What makes the feat even more remarkable is the breadth of opposition he has punished. Lukaku’s 93 international goals have come against 39 different countries spread across multiple continents and competitions.
European teams have borne the brunt of his firepower. No fewer than 29 European nations have conceded to the Belgian striker, while teams from Africa, Asia, North America and South America have also fallen victim to his finishing ability.
Yet amid that long list of victims, one notable football giant remains untouched: Spain.
Despite scoring against almost every type of opponent imaginable during his international career, Lukaku has never found the net against La Roja. It is a statistical anomaly for a player who has spent more than a decade terrorising defences around the world.
The record adds an intriguing subplot to Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final showdown with Spain. As Belgium seek a place in the semi-finals, Lukaku will be chasing more than just victory. He will also be aiming to remove one of the last blank spaces from his remarkable international scoring map.
BET9JA FACT FILE
- Player: Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
- International Goals: 93
- Different Countries Scored Against: 39
- European Nations Scored Against: 29
- Belgium All-Time Leading Scorer: Yes
- Never Scored Against: Spain
- Next Opportunity: FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter-final vs Spain
For a striker who has conquered almost every defence put before him, Spain represents one final riddle waiting to be solved.
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Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has etched his name into FIFA World Cup history after extending his remarkable run without conceding a goal to 609 minutes, the longest shutout streak ever recorded in the tournament.
The Spanish shot-stopper surpassed the previous World Cup benchmark during Spain’s march to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underlining his status as one of the competition’s standout performers.
Simón’s extraordinary sequence has spanned multiple matches, with opponents repeatedly failing to find a way past the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper. His commanding displays, sharp reflexes and assured handling have provided the foundation for Spain’s impressive defensive record.
The clean-sheet streak has been built through victories over Austria and Portugal in the knockout rounds, as well as a flawless group-stage campaign in which Spain’s defence proved virtually impenetrable.
While forwards often dominate the headlines at major tournaments, Simón’s achievement highlights the crucial role of goalkeepers in World Cup success. The Spaniard has not only protected his team’s goal but has also rewritten a piece of football history that has stood through decades of World Cup competition.
With Spain preparing for a heavyweight quarter-final clash against Belgium, Simón will have the opportunity to extend the record even further. Every additional minute without conceding will push the mark deeper into uncharted territory.
Unai Simón’s World Cup Record at a Glance
- Player: Unai Simón (Spain)
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Current shutout streak: 609 minutes
- Achievement: Longest period without conceding a goal in FIFA World Cup history
- Tournament: FIFA World Cup 2026
- Status: Record active and still growing
As Spain continue their quest for a second World Cup title, Simón’s historic run has become one of the defining individual stories of the 2026 tournament.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Spain will take a formidable historical advantage into their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final clash with Belgium as two of international football’s most consistent teams put lengthy unbeaten runs on the line.
La Roja have dominated recent meetings between the two European heavyweights, going unbeaten in their last 11 encounters against Belgium. The Spaniards have won nine of those matches and drawn two, including victories in each of the last five meetings.
Four of those five successive wins came during FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns, underlining Spain’s ability to rise to the occasion whenever the Belgians stand in their way.
While history strongly favours Spain, current form suggests Friday’s showdown could be one of the most compelling contests of the tournament.
Spain arrive in the quarter-finals carrying an extraordinary 35-match unbeaten run in regular time. Their sequence of 26 victories and nine draws stretches back more than two years to a 1-0 friendly defeat by Colombia in London on March 22, 2024.
That remarkable consistency has helped establish Spain as one of the favourites for the title and has been built on a blend of defensive solidity, technical superiority and clinical finishing.
Belgium, however, have been equally difficult to beat.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 18 matches, recording 12 wins and six draws since suffering a 3-1 defeat to Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League in March last year.
Led by the experienced Romelu Lukaku and a squad combining seasoned campaigners with emerging talent, Belgium have steadily rebuilt momentum and confidence after a difficult period, arriving at the World Cup quarter-finals as genuine contenders.
The statistics set up a fascinating battle between a Spain side that has repeatedly found answers against Belgium and a Belgian team that has rediscovered its resilience and winning habit.
For Spain, victory would extend both their dominance over Belgium and their remarkable unbeaten sequence. For Belgium, it represents an opportunity to break a frustrating head-to-head trend and end one of international football’s longest-running unbeaten records.
Something will have to give when the two unbeaten runs collide, with a coveted place in the World Cup semi-finals awaiting the winner.
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BET9JA FACT FILE: Spain Remains the Missing Piece in Lukaku’s Scoring Puzzle
BET9JA FACT FILE: Simón Sets New World Cup Shutout Record
History Favours Spain as Unbeaten Giants Collide with Belgium in World Cup Quarter-final
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