The 2026 World Cup: a co-operative social economy opportunity

2025 is the International Year of Cooperatuives and in 2026 the World Cup is coming to Canada. Why should Canadian co-ops care? Full disclosure: Libra knowledge and information Services co-op and TorontotheBetter co-founder Taodhg/Tim Burns played soccer for the Toronto entry in the North American Soccer League, predecessor of Major League soccer.  Yes-the FIFA World Cup is the biggest and most followed single sports tournament in the world, and yes spectators from around the world will be watching remotely or visiting matches in person. And yes, not everyone is into soccer, though it is now the most popular sport in the world for men and women, young and old. But perhaps more important it is a rare opportunity for the world to learn more about Canada’s significant differences from co-hosts the U.S.A, specifically the more social nature of the Canadian economy, with, most notably its public health system and the existence of a third political party with a history of power in some of Canada’s provinces that has roots in the co-operative movement, that is the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation now the New Democratic Party. The tournament represents great opportunity for co-op organizations, particularly retailers, to make their goods and services known t the many new and repeat visitors who will be attending 2026 World Cup matches in Toronto and Vancouver in June and July of the year. Not only I the tournament an opportunity for new friends and customers, it will contribute to recognition of  Canada’s social economy as a distinctive national feature as positively distinct from that of the two other Cup cohosts. Many around the world may not yet appreciate Canada’s difference from its southern neighbour. The World Cup is a rare opportunity to make this known to unique and/or infrequent guests international guests. It us from this viewpoint that TorontotheBetter will be posting regularly about the tournament as it unfolds.