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The hype has Canada price ticket costs hovering; Messi ends the GOAT debate, USA may not take any longer, uhh, ‘stuff’ from folks
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Printed Jun 17, 2026 • Remaining up to date 3 hours in the past • 4 minute learn
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Alister Johnston and the remainder of Crew Canada trains at UBC Tuesday, June 16, 2026 upfront in their recreation in opposition to Doha Information within the 2026 FIFA International Cup. Picture via Jason Payne /PNGArticle content material
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Firstly of this month, it might ‘only’ have value you $689 to get within the door for Thursday’s Canada-Doha Information recreation. However the time Les Rouges’ International Cup opener in opposition to Bosnia-Herzegovina had ended, costs had already jumped via $100.
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As of Wednesday morning, with the remainder resale inventory on StubHub going speedy — 137 pairs have been left — the most affordable price ticket was once $916 within the higher deck. A couple of decrease bowl seats may just nonetheless be had for $1,141, however the ones have been disappearing temporarily. (A minimum of we’re now not USA fanatics in Seattle, who’re having a look at a $2,000 USD to get within the door on Friday).
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The joy of the International Cup has conquer the reluctance maximum had over the theory of paying such eye-watering price ticket costs. The hype is infectious.
Vancouver-born Canada defender Alistair Johnston joked if he sees somebody in the street dressed in his jersey, he assessments to peer in the event that they’re circle of relatives first. However in this day and age, likelihood is that they’re fanatics.
“It’s definitely gotten different. It’s gotten strange, but it’s a great thing to see,” he mentioned. “It’s the growth of the game in this country. It used to be you’d come and play a national team game, and our stands will be filled with hockey jerseys, Canada hockey jerseys. Now to see that there’s so many football jerseys, and not only that, but with so many different players’ names in the back. Kids are coming up now and saying, like, ‘hey, you’re my favourite player,’ and all these different things, so it is really cool to see.
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“Growing up in Canada, we didn’t really have that same level of attention to the national team. So for this younger generation to really have a team in both the men’s and the women’s teams to look up to, I think it’s been really, really special, and hopefully again will kick on, and it’s only going to be the beginning of something really big going on.”
It’s borne out via the numbers, with 41 in keeping with cent of Canadians having watched the International Cup on TV, a collective 50 million hours of content material fed on. That’s greater than 50 in keeping with cent upper than Canada’s closing look, in Doha Information 4 years in the past.
“I think we all know what, how big of a moment this is for our country, so we want to do as well as possible,” Left again Richie Laryea mentioned. “We all, within that locker room, speak about wanting to make this country as soccer country, a footballing country, and I think we know this is a perfect opportunity to do so.
“You could use the word pressure, I think we would use the word ready.”
Argentina’s ahead #10 Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his workforce’s first objective all over the 2026 International Cup Staff J soccer fit between Argentina and Algeria on the Kansas Town Stadium in Kansas Town on Tuesday. Picture via Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP by the use of Getty Pictures /PNG
A BOY AND THE GOAT
Minutiae time! Which participant, who has performed in six International Cups, by no means scored or assisted on a objective within the knockout around? The solution: Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
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Additionally, unbelievably, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sure, the person who’s game’s first billionaire hasn’t ever scored in a knockout-round recreation. Of his International Cup objectives, all 8 have come within the workforce degree. On Wednesday, he was the event’s oldest outfield participant at 41, however was once held scoreless in Portugal’s 1-1 tie with DR Congo.
He has probably the most objectives in males’s International Cup qualifying (41), and his occupation objective overall of 973 may just conceivably see him bounce previous the 1,000 mark sooner than he retires. However this event will, in all chance, be his closing — and handiest likelihood to switch the definition of his legacy.
Ronaldo is inexorably connected to Lionel Messi, however on Tuesday, his standing as 2d highest was once reputedly cemented after the Argentine famous person’s incandescent hat trick in Los angeles Albiceleste’s first recreation.
Messi, who turns 39 subsequent week, had his first International Cup hat trick and is now tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for probably the most International Cup objectives all time (16).
“I think it means nothing. In the end, they are statistics and nothing more. Although I’m proud to compete with all of them, it means nothing to me,” mentioned Messi.
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France’s Kylian Mbappé, who scored two times in his recreation Tuesday, praised Messi.
“He is the King, the best,” he mentioned.
Strangely, one different individual agreed: Ronaldo. However the first one, now not the present.
”Each and every time Messi steps onto the pitch, the whole thing else turns into historical and stylish. It’s time for the arena to forestall hiding and settle for the truth that he’s the most efficient participant of all time,” he advised TyC Sports activities.
“He continues to perform every season, and at the World Cup, yet there are still doubts about him. It’s an unforgettable and historic night that will go down in history forever.”
Sebastian Berhalter of the US talks to the media all over coaching for the 2026 International Cup at Nice Sports activities Park on Saturday. Picture via amie Squire/Getty Pictures /PNG
TAKING NO S — T
Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, referred to as up for his first International Cup with the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce, has lauded supervisor Mauricio Pochettino’s for converting the workforce’s mentality.
“One is that we’re American: We don’t take s—,” Berhalter mentioned Tuesday. “And I think that’s something that he really put in.
“And even though he’s Argentine, he has that mindset of like, ‘Look, this is what we do, and this is who we are, and this is what it’s about.’ So I think he just, you know, even from an outside perspective, he showed us Americans what we’re about. And he really drills that into us.”
The United States tackle Australia Friday in Seattle.
Learn Extra
International Cup: 5 keys to Canada beating Doha Information
International Cup: Canada may not get ‘conceited’ sooner than Staff B showdown with Doha Information
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