Saskatoon diehard soccer fan attends every 2022 World Cup game, ready for 2026 Cup in North America – Saskatoon | 24CA News
Attending a World Cup occasion is any soccer fan’s dream.
Saskatoon resident Lee Kormish has attended 5 of them, most just lately on the males’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
He not solely travelled to Qatar however was additionally chosen as a fan chief for Canada after successful a contest. He additionally nominated different soccer followers in Canada to come back together with him.
“The Qatar supreme committee created a fan-engaged program, the first of its kind for a World Cup. They went and searched across the globe for passionate, experienced World Cup fans,” mentioned Kormish.
His flight, lodging and one match — the opener — have been paid for by means of the committee, and Lee paid for the remaining 41 matches out of his personal pocket.
He was there for roughly 4 weeks, with a busy schedule day-after-day on high of watching the matches.
Saskatchewan Soccer Association CEO Rahim Mohamed says fan turnout shall be an indication of issues to come back in 2026, when Canada shall be a number nation.
“Soccer is the largest participation sport in Canada. It has ties to every country around the world. No matter where you are from, when you are here you get immersed in the different cultures,” mentioned Mohamed.
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Mohamed says regardless that Canada didn’t win a sport, generally it’s not the leads to soccer however the best way you play. It means a ton for the game, the followers and the nation taking part in on the World Cup transferring ahead, placing Canada on the map within the males’s soccer world.
“It’s not always about winning, about results, it’s about earning respect. Canada definitely earned respect and we earned that with the soccer world,” Mohamed mentioned.
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Both Mohamed and Kormish say the star expertise shall be plentiful in 2026 with Canada, U.S.A. and Mexico internet hosting the occasion. It may very well be the final likelihood the soccer world will get to see two of the sport’s biggest gamers in Christiano Ronaldo and Leonel Messi play internationally.
“If North America had Leo Messi and Christiano Ronaldo in 2026, that’s what every soccer fan wants,” Kormish mentioned.
“That would be the amazing swan song to have them here playing some of their last matches ever internationally,” mentioned Mohamed.
Remember Canada’s personal rising star in Alphonso Davies. The occasion shall be filled with them.
Kormish says there’s a good likelihood he shall be going to look at the video games in 2026, as Canada will probably host between 10 and 15 matches in Toronto and/or Vancouver.
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