World Cup delivers double dose of patriotism for Canadian dual citizens

VANCOUVER — It was almost 28 degrees in Vancouver last Wednesday, but Alex Garcia was still determined to wear two soccer jerseys at the city’s FIFA Fan Festival.

On the outside was the green one of his native Mexico — but on the inside, Canadian red.

“I feel like a proud Canadian and also a proud Mexican, and I’m overjoyed to experience a World Cup in this country,” said the 26-year-old construction worker, who took a day off to enjoy matches involving both countries.

The World Cup has seen an explosion of Canadian pride in the run up to Canada Day. Streets and stadiums have been filled with flag-waving fans.

But it’s also given dual citizens like Garcia a chance to express their multiple loyalties.

They were out in force at the PNE Amphitheatre to watch matches involving Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, back-to-back-to-back

Garcia led other fans in a fist-pumping chant: “Let’s go Canada, let’s go Mexico.”

First he watched his adopted country fall to Switzerland, before celebrating Mexico’s 3-0 win over Czechia.

“I have dual citizenships, so I am half-Canadian, half-Mexican. I am very happy to see Canada play today. It was a tough score, 2-1, but we’re still in the second part of the World Cup,” said Garcia.

“I love Canada so much. Canada has given me so many things.”

The Vancouver resident said it was the “magic of football” that allowed him to enjoy a global event in Canada while celebrating his Mexican roots.

Neil Armitage, a sociology professor at the University of B.C., said nationalism was sometimes seen as a “dirty word.”

But Armitage, who researched football spectatorship in his postgraduate studies, said the World Cup had given Canadians a stage to showcase a “wholesome nationalism” to the world.

American nationalism could feel “very brash” and “forthright,” while British nationalism was more intertwined with milestones of history and the development of empire, he said.

“I think Canadian nationalism and patriotism are built on this wholesomeness, this fairness, this goodness, this support,” said Armitage.

He cited Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar which saw “everyone getting into the mood” before rapidly shifting tone when Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a broken leg.

At Canada’s next match at BC Place, hundreds of fans waved No. 8 posters to honour Koné.

“I’m not saying that any other nation wouldn’t do it, but it’s very Canadian … very supportive, very wholesome, very correct, very fair, and trying to kind of maintain a kind of level of decorum,” said Armitage.

Paul Kingsbury, a professor of geography at Simon Fraser University, has published research on nationalism and the World Cup — specifically, how it was enjoyed in 2006 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, a heartland of European soccer support.

Kingsbury said the World Cup provides a “theatre for enjoyment,” where Canadians can have fun while expressing patriotism in different ways.

“It’s a very sort of collective enjoyment, and the World Cup provides the gel of patriotism and the juice, which is the enjoyment.”

Having a mental image of Canada matters, he said.

“The symbolic side of the nation would be the flags, the costumes, the rituals, but my research focuses on enjoyment, which is to say that a nation only exists insofar as people practise enjoyment, different ways of enjoying,” said Kingsbury.

Back at the PNE, Pedro Jessen was practising the enjoyment of watching Brazil beat Scotland 3-0. Watching both the Canada and Brazil games had made for the “best day ever,” said Jessen, 38, who immigrated from Brazil six years ago and now works for an architecture firm in Mission, B.C.

He said he was “fully Canadian” for the Canada-Switzerland game, but an hour later was “fully Brazilian now.”

“I’ve been Canadian for two years now. Brazil-slash-Canada, let’s go,” said Jessen.

“I am from Brazil and a very proud Brazilian. But I am Canadian now and I am also part of this community. Canada is doing a great job, and I’m very proud of it.”

The dual loyalties exist happily for many fans — but for one concern. It was shared by Canadian-Egyptian Amr Shehata as he watched Egypt play New Zealand at a viewing party in North Vancouver’s Shipyards on June 21.

“The only thing that I hope is that Canada is not meeting Egypt because that will have been an identity crisis (for us) and that will not be a good deal,” laughed Shehata, who immigrated from Egypt to Vancouver about 12 years ago.

Canada has already made it through to the round of 16, while Egypt will play Australia in the round of 32 on Friday.

Inside BC Place stadium, Burnaby resident Noor Kamel, was wearing a Qatari flag as a sash for the June 18 match that saw Canada dominate Qatar 6-0.

Born in Yemen, she also used to live in Qatar, and while she was cheering for the Qataris, she said she had “Canada in my heart.”

Kamel said she watched the game for pure joy. “It’s not about politics or where I’m from, it’s just about the vibe, celebrating diversity. I am so grateful,” said Kamel. “I cheer for both Canada and Qatar, and it’s a game at the end of the day,” said Kamel,

“It’s just a game bringing everyone together, that’s it. So, I am proud. Oh, Canada, I love you.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.

— With files by Brieanna Charlebois

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press