A New Favourite Emerges
For generations, hockey has been treated as Canada's unshakable national pastime — the sport stitched into the country's identity from backyard rinks to Saturday nights watching Hockey Night in Canada. But according to a new survey, that grip is loosening. Soccer has now overtaken hockey as the most popular sport among Canadians aged 18 to 29, a shift that reflects both changing demographics and a banner year for the sport on home soil.
The World Cup Effect
The timing isn't a coincidence. Canada's national team delivered its strongest World Cup showing in decades this year, competing on the global stage while the country also served as co-host of the tournament alongside the United States and Mexico. That dual role — as both participant and stadium host — put soccer in front of more Canadian eyes than ever before, from packed watch parties in city squares to sold-out matches in NHL-sized arenas repurposed for the pitch.
For a generation of young Canadians who grew up playing recreational soccer and watching international leagues stream online, the World Cup run appears to have been a tipping point rather than a one-off spike. Soccer's accessibility — cheaper equipment, more flexible facility requirements, and a lower barrier to entry than hockey's costly gear and ice time — has long made it a popular grassroots sport across the country. What's new is that popularity now translating into it being young Canadians' favourite sport to watch and follow, not just play.
What It Means for Hockey
This doesn't spell doom for hockey, which remains deeply embedded in Canadian culture and continues to dominate among older age brackets and in winter markets across the country. But it does signal a generational shift that sports leagues, broadcasters, and municipalities will need to reckon with. Youth soccer registration, viewership numbers for international leagues, and demand for pitch space have all been climbing in cities across the country in recent years, and this survey suggests that trend is accelerating rather than plateauing.
An Ottawa Angle Worth Watching
While the survey reflects a national trend, it's one Ottawa is well-positioned to feel directly. The city has a growing recreational soccer scene, from adult leagues at TD Place to youth clubs across the region, and Ottawa fans turned out in big numbers for World Cup watch parties this year. If the youth shift holds, expect to see continued investment in local pitches and facilities as demand grows — much like the city has already done for hockey rinks for decades.
The Bigger Picture
Whether this marks a permanent changing of the guard or a temporary World Cup bump will take a few more years of data to confirm. But for now, the numbers are clear: for Canada's youngest adults, soccer has claimed the title hockey held for generations.
Source: CBC
