Canada Soccer – Peter Augruso says Canada’s 2–1 defeat by Switzerland didn’t stop the momentum from the home World Cup. With a Round of 32 match against South Africa in Los Angeles on Sunday, he argues the real test now is turning millions of new fans into players—backed by b
VANCOUVER — The morning after Canada’s 2–1 loss to Switzerland, Peter Augruso could have spent the day doing what presidents usually do after a painful setback: dwelling on what slipped away.
Instead, the Canada Soccer president is already focused on what comes next—and what this tournament could still change.
Canada missed out on top spot in Group B after the Wednesday defeat, but Augruso insists the bigger story is only beginning. The men’s team’s next step is a Round of 32 match against South Africa on Sunday in Los Angeles.
“Of course, we’re disappointed when we don’t win because our expectations are higher now but think about what we’ve accomplished: Canada’s first World Cup point, Canada’s first World Cup victory, now an opportunity to reach the last 16,” Augruso told Sportsnet.
For Augruso, the loss is painful, but it doesn’t erase the milestones that have already landed. He points to a shift on the men’s side that he says hasn’t been seen before in Canada—while also crediting the work that came before.
“On the men’s side, we’ve achieved things that had never been done before. The women’s program has been setting standards for years, and now the men’s side is beginning to build its own history.”
That credibility—earned through results and attention—has started showing up beyond the pitch. Augruso says the response has been consistent in conversations with federation presidents across the world.
“Right now, we’re getting a tremendous amount of credibility as a football nation,” he said. “Every federation president I speak with around the world tells me the same thing: ‘Wow. Canada has really come a long way.’ From the outside it looks like it happened quickly. but of course it hasn’t. This has been building for years. [Former manager] John Herdman really started that movement when he came to Canada with the women’s program and then took over the men’s side. Jesse [Marsch] has built on everything John accomplished and taken it to another level.”.
Augruso adds that Canada is no longer treated as an easy opponent.
“Now it’s nice to hear people talking about Canada as a legitimate football nation. We’re no longer viewed as the easy game.”
There’s another reason he’s moving forward with energy: the World Cup itself has become a catalyst for everyday life in Toronto and Vancouver. Augruso says Gianni Infantino. the FIFA president. was watching closely when Canada marked its history with a 6–0 win over Qatar—alongside Augruso and Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“I think he’s been pleasantly surprised by the reception the tournament has received here,” Augruso said. “The march to the stadium was incredible. We had around 8,000 supporters walking together before the Qatar match. Everywhere you go in Vancouver you feel like you’re in a World Cup city.”
He says Vancouver has fully embraced the event, and that Toronto, too, delivered major support—even if Toronto hosts large events regularly.
“Toronto was fantastic, too. We had tremendous support there, but Toronto hosts major events all the time. On one of our match days. the Blue Jays were playing as well. so there was a lot happening in the city. What impressed me — and him — was that soccer didn’t just compete with those other major sports, it surpassed them. A few years ago, that probably wouldn’t have happened.”.
Marsch has helped generate that buzz, and Augruso is clearly comfortable with how polarizing that attention can be. He calls Marsch “charismatic,” and credits him for teaching Canadians to believe.
“Jesse’s a charismatic guy, and I think he’s been great for the sport in this country,” Augruso said. “He might rub some commentators the wrong way, or certain former players in the United States, but you know what? He’s taught Canadians to believe in themselves.”
Then comes the point Augruso keeps returning to: edge.
“Canadians have always been viewed as polite and respectful — that’s built into the Canadian psyche. Jesse isn’t trying to take away our Canadian identity, but he has brought an edge to this group. If we want to compete with the best countries in the world, we have to have that edge.”
The people watching it in stadiums are seeing something real on the field, Augruso argues. But the bigger question is whether this moment becomes a movement when the noise fades.
He doesn’t dodge it. By his measure, the first numbers are already encouraging: there are roughly three-quarters of a million registered soccer players in Canada now.
Following the World Cup, he wants that figure to rise to over a million by this time next year.
“I think we’ll see the impact almost immediately,” Augruso agreed. “Right now, there are roughly three-quarters of a million registered soccer players in this country. Following this World Cup. I’d love to see that number climb to over a million by this time next year. That’s the opportunity in front of us. We’ve created millions of new fans. Now our responsibility is to turn that fandom into participation. We have to inspire young Canadians to believe they can play this game. that they can wear the maple leaf one day. and then make sure they actually have the opportunity to do it.”.
He says the excitement is already there, and the dreams are already being created—now the pathway has to be built.
“The excitement is there. The dreams are being created. Now we have to build the pathway.”
Augruso also acknowledges a difficult truth Canada has lived with for years: the sport has too often stalled after early promise. In his view, inspiration alone isn’t enough.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned in this role is that it’s not enough to inspire kids to play —we have to make sure we have the facilities to support them.”
The infrastructure is beginning to grow, he says, pointing to what’s happening in communities across the country. In British Columbia, there are around 20 mini-pitches built. Jumpstart has invested in another 25 community pitches across Canada. Canada Soccer has completed one community pitch project in Atlantic Canada and is looking at another on the West Coast.
“we’re looking at another on the West Coast because we want kids, no matter where they live, to have access to the game. But we need much more.”
He ties that investment directly to participation, arguing soccer is already the No. 1 participation sport in Canada.
“Soccer is already the No. 1 participation sport in Canada,” Augruso continued. “I think we have more influence than we sometimes realize. If we work together and advocate collectively. governments will understand that investing in soccer infrastructure isn’t just investing in sport — it’s investing in communities. That’s how we make sure this momentum lasts.”.
He also says the government appears to be paying closer attention. Augruso adds that Prime Minister Mark Carney has been genuinely interested in what’s happening with the team and soccer in general.
“The Prime Minister has been genuinely interested in what’s happening with this team and with soccer in general. He’s seeing first-hand what this World Cup has done for Canadians. At a time when the country can always use something positive to rally around, this team has given people that.”
A former goalkeeper, Katrina LeBlanc, offered Augruso a line he says stayed with him: “’There are only two groups of people who wear the maple leaf — those who protect it and those who inspire it.’”
He frames Canada’s current football rise through that idea.
“That’s exactly what this team is doing,” Augruso said. “They’re inspiring Canadians. They’re bringing people together, and that’s something much bigger than football.”
The test now isn’t only whether people feel the excitement—it’s whether they act on it when the tournament ends. Augruso wants to see increased support for domestic leagues in the short term.
In particular, he points to League1 Ontario, the Canadian Premier League, and the Northern Super League.
“That is absolutely critical,” Augruso said. “We can’t allow this World Cup to become just a great memory. We have to support our domestic leagues.”
He highlights the Northern Super League’s early impact, saying players are already coming into the national team environment. He also notes that the Canadian Premier League has become an important pathway on the men’s side.
“The Northern Super League has only been around for a short time and we’re already seeing players coming into our national team environment. That’s exactly what you want. It’s creating opportunities for Canadian players to develop at home. The Canadian Premier League has done the same thing on the men’s side. It has become an important pathway.”.
His message is blunt and personal: if Canada wants the momentum to last, it has to show up.
“If we want this sport to continue growing, people have to support local soccer. Go watch your local club. Go to a CPL match. Go to an NSL match. Those leagues matter because they’re where the next generation develops.”
Canada Soccer Peter Augruso Jesse Marsch John Herdman FIFA World Cup Switzerland South Africa Round of 32 Vancouver Toronto Infantino Mark Carney League1 Ontario Canadian Premier League Northern Super League Katrina LeBlanc