Literally all sports in Canada have taken a backseat this month as FIFA World Cup games in Toronto and Vancouver dominate screens, headlines, imaginations and even traffic. Especially traffic.
As the NHL and NBA seasons wound down on our TV screens, and the Blue Jays fought their way back to .500, the national soccer team and really, the sport itself, captured the hearts of the country like never before.
With Canada advancing to knockout round action for the first time, our collective eyeballs will remain focused on the team’s historic exploits. However, there are numerous world class events taking place on our soil in July.
Here’s a reminder that there are other sports to pay close mind to during the summer months. You might even find the tickets come at more manageable prices.
FIBA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
The 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup will take place in Qatar, starting in late August of next year but Canada’s mission to qualify is well underway.
Already with road wins to their credit at Puerto Rico and Jamaica, Team Canada hosts two games against the same opponents at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton on Friday, July 3 and Monday, July 6 in FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers.
The program was given a boost recently when NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder committed to playing in the games. It was SGA who led Canada to the bronze medal - the country’s first medal in a World Cup or Olympics since 1936 - at the 2023 World Cup in Asia. The third place finish also clinched a spot in the Paris Olympics of 2024. A qualification to next year’s Cup is the first step in ensuring a berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
WORLD RUGBY NATIONS CUP
Three fixtures on home turf will be played in the month of July as Canada prepares for action at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The brand new World Rugby Nations Cup will see Canada in Pool A action in Edmonton and Winnipeg. The national team plays Spain on July 4 and Portugal on July 11 at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton. On July 18, Tyler Ardron will lead the team against Zimbabwe at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
After missing the 2023 World Cup in France, Canada defeated the USA to qualify for ‘27 and is currently ranked 25th in the world.
In a recent home field battle Canada lost 24-23 to Spain last year in Edmonton, and 33-27 at Portugal, showing that this squad is growing into a competitive force.
BELL CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS
The world is halfway through an Olympic cycle with the 2028 LA Games already in sight. As always, swimming will be one of the most anticipated sports and Canada’s team will be expected to be involved in the medals.
This year’s trials are set to be held in Montreal from July 6-9, with 3-time Olympic gold medallist Summer McIntosh the top draw.
The 19-year-old from Toronto exploded onto the world’s swim scene at the Paris Games in 2024 with gold medal performances in the 200M butterfly, 200M medley and 400M medley. She added a silver in the 400M freestyle for good measure, capping one of the most successful Olympics ever for any Canadian athlete.
The biggest event of the summer is the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in California in August, but the Canadian Trials are a chance to shine once again in front of a home audience. Last year she set world records in the same event in the 400M freestyle, 200M and 400M medleys.
One of Canada’s most dominant athletes has to be considered can’t-miss when swimming in home water.
YONEX CANADA OPEN
Badminton is one of the most fun sports to play recreationally. Watching the best in the world play it is also a pleasure. Beginning June 30 and running through July 5, the Badminton World Federation returns to the Pan Am Centre in Markham, Ontario for the 61st edition of the Canada Open, which features total prize money over $350,000.
On the men’s side, Victor Lai of Scarborough, last year’s runner-up, returns as the top seed. The 21-year-old became the first Canadian to medal with a bronze at the 2025 BWF World Championships. He recently won his first world tour tournament, defeating Jonatan Christie in the Indonesian Open. Lai comes to the Canada Open as the top seed.
The top seed in the women’s bracket is 34-year-old Michelle Li, who moved to Canada from Hong Kong at age 6. An Olympian at the Paris Games in 2024, and a veteran in the sport, Li won gold at three Pan American Games, including in Toronto in 2015, and in Lima, Peru in 2019.
She is coming off a gold medal at Pan Am Championships in April, also in Lima, and won the Canada Open in 2022.
Follow Dan Gladman on Instagram and Blue Sky: @dgontheroad
