Canada has launched a campaign to attract the support of Italians following Italy's absence from the 2026 World Cup. The proposal offers a free exchange of... Italy shirts for Canadian national team jerseys.
The initiative was created by Canada Soccer and aimed at the Italian community in the country, especially in the city of Toronto.
According to 2021 data, approximately 1,5 million Canadians have Italian ancestry. A significant portion of them live in the capital region.
How the action works
The campaign was launched on the social network X with a direct appeal to Italian fans.
"Dear Italian fans, don't wait another four years. Exchange your jersey for Canada's," the federation wrote.
The action took place on April 4th, between 10 am and 14 pm, in the neighborhood. Little Italy.
Participants could hand in an Italian national team jersey and receive a free Canadian jersey, subject to availability.
Campaign context
The initiative comes after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Italian team was eliminated in the playoff against Bosnia., in the penalty shootout, and was left out of a major international tournament for the third consecutive time.
With this, Canada is trying to mobilize the strong Italian diaspora in the country to support the local team during the tournament.
High demand for games
The move also comes amid high demand for World Cup tickets.
Canada's opening game, against Bosnia, is scheduled for June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto.
Ticket prices reached around 2.700 euros on the resale market.
FOLLOW ITALIANISM
