A large, seemingly out-of-this-world vessel is about to descend on Canada and, if all goes according to plan, will transform the sporting landscape for generations to come.
This, of course, amounts to Canada’s role in hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, along with the United States and Mexico.
The tournament will be bigger than ever, having expanded from 32 to 48 teams and will feature 104 games, compared to 64 in 2022.
FIFA will reportedly generate somewhere in the range of USD $11-13 billion for the 2023-26 cycle. Those projections include broadcast deals, sponsorships, and tickets and hospitality, marking an increase of over 50 per cent from 2022 levels.
In all, 13 matches will be played on Canadian soil, with six tilts in Toronto and seven in Vancouver.
“Right now, there’s this UFO called the FIFA World Cup that’s going to land on planet Canada and I think we’re going to see a lot more mainstream involvement because this is the world’s biggest sporting event,” Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment Group CEO James Johnson told BNN Bloomberg in a recent interview.
“We’re going to see week in, week out, more and more engagement with soccer as we lead into the World Cup because soccer is really going to be what is being discussed in every cafe across the country, every restaurant. Kids are going to be talking about the games in schools. It’s going to be in the news.
“That’s the opportunity for the sport because for the first time in our history, we’re going to see soccer front-and-centre of not just the sporting agenda, but the cultural agenda of the country. And I think that’s super exciting.”
Johnson, a British Australian, previously held leadership roles with FIFA, the Asian Football Federation, City Football Group, and most recently Football Australia where he served as CEO from January 2020 until June 2025 and oversaw the hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Last July, Johnson was tapped to lead Canadian Soccer Business, which he would later rebrand as Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME). The private company, which was established in 2018, acts as the commercial arm for both Canada Soccer and the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
The former professional soccer player, author and lawyer, arrived with a proven reputation for growing soccer-related revenue, for his expertise in broadcast negotiations and for increasing participation on a national scale.
To Johnson, the path forward for the business of soccer in Canada was clear.
“I think what I can say is, we’ve built our commercial strategy, since I’ve been here, around hosting the World Cup, just because that’s where the opportunity is,” says Johnson, who notes that CSME has to find ways to monetize the World Cup independently of FIFA.
“We’re looking to continue to increase our sponsorship revenues, which we are. We’ve done eight sponsorship deals in the past two months. And they’re not small,” he adds, mentioning “big deals” with corporations such as BMO and Uber Eats.
Ahead of the CPL’s eighth season, which began in April, CSME negotiated broadcast partnerships with TSN, RDS, TVA Sports and CBC to greatly increase the league’s linear presence in addition to all matches continuing to be available on the streaming platform OneSoccer.
TSN’s coverage will feature 28 matches, with the 2026 playoffs also to air on TSN and CBC.
“With the spotlight on [soccer] in Canada this year, we have a responsibility to meet the moment,” Johnson said in a press release. “By significantly expanding our presence on linear television, we’re making Canada’s league more visible and accessible than ever before. This is our game, and together with our broadcast partners, we’re building the reach [the CPL] needs to grow.”
CSME is also going through a process with the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, with the goal of creating a linear channel for OneSoccer.
In his short time on the job so far, Johnson spearheaded a new 12-year agreement for CSME to continue managing the commercial rights for Canada Soccer and the CPL, with a focus on generating revenue through sponsorship deals, merchandise, licensing agreements and broadcasting rights.
The deal is projected to create over $100 million more in net revenue compared to the previous deal and provides incentive for both parties to work together, as reported by The Canadian Press.
“It’s a very balanced deal,” Johnson said, when the agreement was announced in February. “It’s good for the governing body. It’s good for us. And it’s ultimately good for the players and the fans.”
CSME, the CPL and OneSoccer are closely intertwined.
Johnson also serves as the commissioner of the CPL and was given a seat on the board with OneSoccer.
In turn, the CSME investor group and board include CPL owners and OneSoccer is owned by CPL co-founder and executive Scott Mitchell through a company called Timeless Inc.
“We (CSME) acquire our media rights and we license them to OneSoccer - that’s how the business model works.” Johnson says of the relationship.
“I think it’s very effective because it means that we’re able to genuinely partner hand-in-hand with OneSoccer and it means that we can really have great alignment with our content and that’s very unique in the world of sports and we’re very proud of it.”
The CPL, as a FIFA-sanctioned league, has put itself at the centre of the global soccer conversation this season by becoming the first league to implement a slight deviation to the global offside rule as well as a challenge system known as football video support.
Johnson says the CPL - which began play in 2019 and currently has eight teams - is also looking to expand and bring on new investors (via CSME) as the league transforms from what he calls a “start-up league” to a “mature league” with increasing attendance and broadcast audiences.
For Johnson, there is no better time than the present to draw attention to the CPL.
“We’re very happy with where we are,” says Johnson, while also pointing to the CPL’s colour rebrand from green and blue to Canadian red prior to the current season.
“Where we’re going is we want to ensure that everything we do this year is tied to the World Cup. And that’s because when the World Cup comes and goes, we believe the vehicle to continue to drive the interest in the sport - as a result of hosting the men’s World Cup - will be the CPL.
“So, that’s really our focus going forward. That’s our gateway, if you like, into breaking through into the mainstream in Canada.”
Last October, after spending his first three months learning the ins and outs of the Canadian soccer landscape, Johnson steered the release of CSME’s “Vision” document, a mission statement that lives on the company’s website.
The 19-page presentation unites the aim of generating a revenue engine that builds CSME’s commercial base with the necessity of re-investing in clubs, leagues and communities to reinforce the growth cycle of soccer on a national level.
Essentially, CSME’s “North Star” is to consolidate all things soccer, from a business and participation standpoint.
“If you’re a parent signing your child up to play soccer, or you’re a fan who wants to watch the Bundesliga or wants to watch the Canadian men’s national team or women’s national team play, you’re a 40 year old that wants to buy your soccer cleats - you can go to one place and that’s a digital hub where all things soccer can go,” says Johnson.
“Whether you’re watching, playing, or you want to purchase tickets for a game, that’s the goal. That’s our North Star.”
Overall, Johnson believes the best is yet to come as far as CSME increasing the reach of soccer in Canada. “Our objective is we want soccer to be seen as widely and as broadly as possible in Canada in time for the World Cup because that’s the opportunity,” says Johnson.
“It’s not just going to change sport, it’s going to change Canada. And we think this is a significant milestone for us to achieve.”
Follow Paul McGaughey on X: @SportsWriter_PM
