EDMONTON — As Canada co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, millions of fans will pack stadiums and living rooms waiting for a magical moment. For some, it will be a simple decision to cheer for the Canadian Men's National Team, but for others, blood runs deeper than land. Many Canadians remember where they were when Sydney Crosby scored the Golden Goal to secure Canada's gold medal at the 2010 Olympics. Though it is unlikely that Canada will win the World Cup, it is still an opportunity for fans across Canada to create memories with the tournament taking place in North America. For some, those memories will come from watching Canada make its third-ever World Cup appearance. For others, those memories will come from watching the team that their father, grandfather, or even great-grandfather grew up supporting, and the tournament could be their best chance to see those teams in person, even if it means travelling to Mexico. The 2021 Canadian census listed over 300 ethnic groups in Canada, with countless combinations of ethnicities. From England to Uzbekistan, to Curacao, every nation in the World Cup is represented ethically in Canada. Here are the top 10 ethnicities in Canada playing in the 2026 World Cup, and where fans will have to go to see their motherland's squad in person. .10. Sweden.Sweden ranks 19 among ethnicities reported in the 2021 census, but it cracks the list among countries participating in the World Cup. Over 334.5 thousand Canadians reported ethnic ties to this Scandinavian country, including 104,000 British Columbians and 93,000 Albertans. Swedish fans will not get the chance to see their club play in Canada during the group stage, as they will kickoff their tournament on Sunday in Monterrey, Mexico, against Tunisia, before travelling to Houston, U.S., to take on the Netherlands, and capping the round off in Dallas, U.S., against Japan. 9. Spain.Spaniards sit one spot ahead of Sweden, both in overall ethnicity in Canada and amongst countries in the World Cup, with over 342 thousand individuals, including 143.8 thousand Ontarionas, claiming the ethnicity. The Spanish will kickoff their 17th World Cup appearance on June 15 in Atlanta, U.S., against Cabo Verde, stay there for a match against Saudi Arabia, and then travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a tilt with Uruguay. .8. United States of America.Despite being geographical neighbours, American was the 17th most common claimed ethnicity among Canadians in 2021, but their 353.5 thousand individuals place it 8th among nations in the World Cup. The primary host nation for the World Cup will likely spend the entire tournament within their country, beginning with a match against Paraguay in Los Angeles, U.S., on Friday, and will head to Seattle, U.S., to face Australia, before returning to Los Angeles to take on Turkiye. 7. Portugal.Largely driven by over 300 thousand people in Ontario, over 448.3 thousand individuals listed Portuguese as an ethnicity, making it the 16 most common overall ethnicity listed in the 2021 Canadian census and the 7th most common among World Cup nations. The Portuguese national team and their legendary star Cristiano Ronaldo will kick off the tournament with a game in Houston against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17, then play Uzbekistan on June 23, before wrapping up the group stage in Miami, U.S., against Colombia. .6. Norway.With a heavy presence on either side of the Rocky Mountains, the 466.5 thousand Canadians who self-identified as Norwegian make this Scandinavian country the 14 most common ethnicity in the census and the 6 most popular among World Cup participants. The Norwegian team will play all three of their group stage matches within hours of the Canadian border, though Boston, U.S., and New York/ New Jersey, U.S., are on opposite sides of North America from the over 290 thousand Albertans and British Columbians of Norwegian ethnicity. 5. Netherlands.Powered by 478 thousand descendants in Ontario alone, the Netherlands and their 988.6 thousand Canadians with Dutch lineage rank 10 amongst all ethnicities, and 5th for World Cup countries. This European staple will also spend their group stage in the U.S., starting with a match against Japan in Dallas on Sunday, before travelling to Houston for a match against the 10 most common ethnic nation, Sweden, and will cap the round with a tilt against Tunisia in Kansas City, U.S..4. Germany.With over one million in Ontario and roughly three million individuals across the country claiming the ethnicity, Germany comfortably ranks 4 among World Cup nations, 5th among all ethnicities in Canada, and 1 in Saskatchewan, with 272.5 thousand people. The Germans are the first club on this list that Canadians will have the chance to see in person when they play their second group stage match against Côte d'Ivoire in Toronto on June 20. That match is sandwiched between a fixture with Curacao in Houston on Sunday and Ecuador in New York on June 25. 3. France.Given the deep French roots in Quebec and other pockets of Canada, it is unsurprising that France and its roughly four million Canadians of French ethnic descent rank among the three most common World Cup nations and the 4 most common overall. Canada's once-co-parent country club will not set foot on Canadian soil in the group stage, though. The French will start their tournament in New York against Senegal on June 16, travel to Philadelphia, U.S., for a match with Iraq, and then cap off the round with a tilt in Boston against Canada's 6 most common ethnicity, Norway. .2. Scotland.Scotland ranks 3rd among all ethnicities in Canada, but rises to 2nd among World Cup nations, thanks to Ireland's tournament absence. Over 4.4 million individuals across Canada claimed Scottish ethnicity in 2021, including 1.9 million people in Ontario. Though the Scottish club will not play any of their group stage matches in Canada, their first two fixtures will be played near the border, beginning in Boston against Haiti on Saturday and Morocco on June 19, before capping the round with a tilt in Miami against Brazil. 1. England.Canada's Commonwealth leader and its 5.4 million Canadian descendants top the list of ethnicities in both the World Cup and overall, with English being the most prevalent ethnicity in eight provinces. English fans in Canada will have to travel to the U.S. to see their club in the World Cup's group stage, beginning with a match against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before coming closer to Canada for fixtures with Ghana and Panama in Boston and New York, respectively. Though only one of Canada's Top 10 World Cup ethnicities is currently slotted to play a match in Canada, additional fixtures will be played in Canada once the knockout round begins, including a round of 32 matches in Toronto and a round of 32 and a round of 16 match in Vancouver.
