A red maple leaf-shaped noisemaker, dubbed the “Canadian clapper,” is being handed out for free across Toronto at BMO Field and the city’s fan festival. Fans are clapping it ahead of Canada’s group-stage matches, while organizers say it has quickly turned into
Toronto’s fan noise used to fade between whistles. Now it’s getting sparked by something you can hold.
A red noisemaker shaped like a maple leaf—dubbed the “Canadian clapper”—has been handed out for free at BMO Field and the city’s fan festival during the World Cup. Each handheld item measures 10-by-18-centimetres. and because it can’t be bought in stores. it’s become a must-have for supporters of Les Rouges.
“It’s amazing. So, let’s go Canada,” Toronto resident Ryan Fonte said after being handed one by a fan festival volunteer ahead of Wednesday’s match against Switzerland.
The clappers are made from recycled material, said Sharon Bollenbach, Toronto’s World Cup executive director. She described how the items were first presented to fans who attended Canada’s first World Cup match in Toronto on June 12. From there. FIFA passed them on to the FIFA Fan Festival. where volunteers handed them out to attendees ahead of watch parties for the second and third group-stage matches.
Ottawa resident Cedric Osagie grinned as he looked down at the three-piece. fan-like clapper after a volunteer placed it in his hand. He wasn’t sure what the official name was. admitting: “I have absolutely no idea what the name of it is called.” Still. he quickly worked out what mattered: “I’ll imagine it’s called a ‘clapper.’”.
Then he described his plan for the moments he came for. “When Canada does something cool, I will do this,” he said, clapping the pieces together. “When we score, I will shake it.”
Bollenbach said the tiny noisemakers have done more than entertain. They have helped build momentum through the city. The executive director said the clappers have “had a big impact” and “created a real buzz and an interest and lots of noise around the city of Toronto.”
For her, the appeal isn’t just the sound. She linked it to national pride that has grown with Canada’s co-host role and with the team’s on-pitch success—advancing to the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time. “Not to mention, Canada Day is right around the corner, on July 1,” Bollenbach added.
She summed up what she believes the clappers represent: “I think that’s what the World Cup is all about,” she said. “That we can celebrate our cultures, we can celebrate our heritage and be truly Canadian and proud that we are hosting the world.”
World Cup Canada Toronto BMO Field fan festival maple leaf clapper Canadian clapper Les Rouges FIFA Fan Festival recycled noisemaker Ryan Fonte Sharon Bollenbach Cedric Osagie