Portugal won the last game held in Toronto, and with that result Canada’s part in the World Cup is about to end. The local portion of the tournament is finished, closing out a stretch that was supposed to leave a lasting mark on the city and the country.
That is the simplest answer to the question Is Canada Still In The World Cup: not in the way fans in Toronto were experiencing it over the past few weeks. The final match at the venue has already been played, and Canada’s hosting duties there are now wrapping up.
What Toronto got from the tournament
The article frames Canada as a co-host rather than a team still chasing results, which makes the focus less about the pitch and more about the event itself. For most of three weeks in Toronto, the author knew there was a World Cup on, a reminder that the atmosphere was present even if it was not overwhelming every day.
That matters because Canada spent about a billion on the World Cup. The hope with any hosting job is that the event leaves something behind: more attention, a stronger sports identity, and a better memory of what the tournament can feel like in a Canadian city. Instead, Toronto is now at the end of its run.
Roberto Martinez liked the setup
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez praised Toronto and its facilities after the match. He said the training session the day before featured fantastic grass and that everything around the venue, including the beautiful facilities, was impressive. He also said the dressing room reminded him of old-fashioned Premier League rooms and called it a wonderful feel, before congratulating everybody involved.
That kind of praise is useful, even if it does not change the larger reality. Toronto delivered a proper World Cup environment, at least in the view of an elite coach, and the stadium experience met the standard expected at this level.
A different kind of legacy
The bigger question is how this World Cup will be remembered. The article points to other tournaments as historical touchstones: Argentina ‘78 as ignominious, France ’98 as transformative, and South Africa ’10 as groundbreaking. It also notes that in 2006, Germany showed almost total indifference to the World Cup except when Germany was playing.
Those comparisons suggest there is no single formula for what a World Cup does to a host country. Some tournaments change the culture, some leave mixed feelings, and some are mostly remembered for the games themselves. Canada’s version appears to be ending with less of a dramatic afterglow and more of a practical conclusion: Toronto hosted, Portugal won the last game there, and the local chapter is closed.
