‘even Bigger’—jesse Marsch Makes Bold Canada World Cup Prediction After Blue Jays World Series Run

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Canada men’s nationalist squad head Jesse Marsch saw nan cross-country attraction nan Toronto Blue Jays sewage successful their tally to nan World Series, and thinks adjacent year’s 2026 FIFA World Cup could beryllium moreover bigger.

Sitting astatine his location successful Tuscany, Italy, it takes thing rather exceptional to get Marsch retired of furniture successful nan mediate of nan night. Most of nan time, it only happens to scout soccer, but nan Blue Jays’ tally to Game 7 of nan World Series captured his imagination.

Marsch was 1 of 51 cardinal group worldwide who tuned successful to nan last series, which ended successful a heartbreaking conclusion for Canada’s lone MLB team.

“Since I’ve been surviving successful Europe, I’ve only gotten up successful nan mediate of nan nighttime to watch football—soccer matches—until nan World Series this year,” Marsch said Thursday.

“So I was a Jays fan, possibly not arsenic overmuch arsenic nan remainder of Toronto, nan remainder of Canada, but this is nan first time, for different sport, that I was getting up successful nan mediate of nan nighttime because I had nan fever arsenic well.”

Thousands of fans huddled successful near-freezing temperatures to watch nan Toronto Blue Jays successful nan World Series. / Brett Gundlock/Getty Images

Across Canada, nan Blue Jays took over. For Game 7, 14 cardinal aliases 45% of each Canadians tuned in, and nan crippled became 1 of nan most-watched sports broadcasts successful nan nation’s history.

The cross-Canada attraction to nan Blue Jays besides gave Marsch different look into what could beryllium coming astatine nan 2026 FIFA World Cup, wherever Canada could person a chance to seizure nan nation’s sporting infatuation.

“I judge that we will beryllium moreover bigger. I judge that nan World Cup astatine home, successful Canada, will beryllium moreover bigger [than nan World Series],” he added. “I tin show you correct now that is precisely what this nationalist squad will beryllium about. And it will electrify this country.”

Plenty of fans made their measurement to Qatar for Canada's first World Cup apperance successful 36 years successful 2022. / Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images

As overmuch arsenic Canadians person rallied astir sports teams, fewer measurement up to nan coast-to-coast-to-coast fandom that comes pinch Toronto’s teams successful American leagues.

In 2019, nan Toronto Raptors group TV viewership records. They had watch parties crossed nan state arsenic they worked toward winning nan organization’s first NBA Championship. The Blue Jays brought nan excitement to different level successful their first World Series berth since winning back-to-back titles successful 1992 and 1993.

While nan thought of fans extracurricular Toronto cheering for a nine squad whitethorn look foreign, it’s been a cardinal facet of Canadian sporting identity. Yet, it only culminates pinch a monolithic run.

— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) June 17, 2024

Comparatively, nan nationalist squad and nan World Cup are a different beast. Many Canadians person a practice state they person traditionally supported astatine nan World Cup, and immoderate still uncertainty nan advancement of nan Canadian squad, making it challenging to lucifer nan Blue Jays’ excitement.

Yet, location remains a possibility, and nan Canadian squad knows it would return an exceptional run, including nan nation’s first World Cup points, to bring millions down nan team, arsenic pinch nan 2025 Blue Jays and 2019 Raptors.

“I person nary uncertainty that this squad will beryllium fresh to really make history and to do thing very special,” Marsch said. "If you’re not connected committee yet and if you’re not emotion nan excitement yet, it’s time. It’s clip to get connected board...It’s clip to understand that there’s a activity happening.”

Canada will play Ecuador and Venezuela successful nan November world model to adjacent retired nan 2025 schedule, and nan location lucifer against Ecuador successful Toronto is connected gait to waste out. Soon after, Canada will find retired its World Cup group opponents astatine nan 2026 FIFA World Cup tie connected Dec. 5 successful Washington D.C.