Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list inclu...
It took close to two hours at the 2026 World Cup draw and while the group hasn’t been completely finalized Canada’s group is taking shape.
Both Switzerland and Qatar will join Canada in group B, but the fourth team has yet to be determined.
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That will happen in late March when Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina face off in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) World Cup qualifying path A.
The teams were picked by one person reaching into a cup of ping pong balls and unscrewing one to reveal the team.
Things were going well for Canada getting Switzerland and Qatar.
“The first ball out of the hat (being) Switzerland was great,” said Lee Kormish, a Saskatchewan soccer superfan who was in attendance in Washington DC. “The second ball out was Qatar, it couldn’t get any better.”
Then Wayne Gretzky stepped up to the stage and pulled the one ball many Canadians were hoping they’d avoid.
“Any other ball but that one, any other one is what we wanted,” said Kormish. “He had a one in 11 shot to pull that Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia one, and that’s the one he grabbed.”
Despite not wanting Italy to be drawn, Kormish can’t help but get excited at the thought of Canada vs. Italy in Toronto to start off the World Cup.
“That’s going to be mouth watering, one of the hottest tickets in the country,” he said. “Canada, Italy … could you really ask for anything better? The opener in Toronto is going to be nuts if the Italians get through.”
The FIFA World Cup draw didn’t exactly go by with the snap of the fingers, a handful of musical performances and even an award presentation was squeezed in, and Kormish said the crowd definitely felt the show dragging on.
“It definitely took a long time to get to the actual draw, people were getting a little bit antsy,” he said.
“The anticipation (was) thick, you could cut it with a knife, it’s like Christmas morning and yet we’re not the one opening the presents, we’re watching grown men open up ping pong balls.”
Kormish said it’s been difficult planning out this World Cup from a fan’s perspective.
“This one is not straightforward whatsoever,” he said. “FIFA has a real beast on their hands in allocating tickets and that’s been the most difficult (part), some people have gotten very lucky and some people have been completely shut out.”
Kormish has been able to secure tickets for the group stage games.
“I will be attending all three matches for Canada,” he said. “Beyond that my goal is to reach all 16 stadiums, which is going to be very difficult, but we’re trying to make it work.”
Kormish said he will be accompanied by a couple of friends at various times throughout the tournament.
When the event kicks off in June it’ll mark the first time any World Cup game has been played in Canada, and Kormish said he wouldn’t miss this tournament for the world.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, this may never happen again in my lifetime,” he said.
“It’s cool that I get to experience this. It’s a little bitter sweet that only Toronto and Vancouver are hosting (in Canada) because there are so many great cities across our country, so we’re not going to get the typical hosting experience.”
As for how Canada will fare, Kormish said it comes down to one thing.
“We need to be healthy. Alfonso Davies needs to be at top form,” he said. “He is pivotal to where this country will go in this tournament.”
Canada is hosting 13 of the tournament’s 104 games, with seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto.
— with files by CKOM News
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