The world will arrive on Canada's doorstep over the next few weeks, as at least 15 nations visit Toronto and Vancouver during the FIFA World Cup.
People from all over the globe are expected to travel to both cities, and they should receive warm welcomes in one of the world's most diverse countries.
Here in Canada, our soccer landscape reflects that multiculturalism. Many of the players both on the national team and in the Canadian Premier League have roots in another country.
Of the 48 nations competing in this 2026 World Cup, 34 can claim the heritage of at least one of the 202 players in the CPL.
Obviously, the CPL is primarily a league for Canadians; approximately 75 per cent of the league's rosters are made up of players considered domestic. However, to be "Canadian" is, often, to be a first- or second-generation Canadian. Dozens of players, even those born and raised here, have grown up with an affinity for another team in the World Cup.
The most-represented heritage in the CPL is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Italy — but, unfortunately for fans of Gli Azzurri, we're looking for links to countries that qualified for this World Cup.
Let's go group by group.
Group A (Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia)
There are 11 CPL players from Mexico, including Inter Toronto's quintet of Diego Urtiaga, Oswaldo León, Carlos Guzmán, Raúl López and Kai Campos, Plus, there's Atlético Ottawa's Juan Castro, Emiliano Garcia, Daniel Aguilar and Santiago López (who represents Canada internationally). Alejandro Díaz at Pacific rounds out the set.
They'll all be set to watch their birth nation co-host the World Cup. However, cheering against his Atleti teammates in the tournament's opening match might be goalkeeper Chris Kalongo, who has South African citizenship. Likewise, Cavalry defender Adam Pearlman was born in Johannesburg.
Group B (Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland)
We've covered the Canadian aspect; most CPLers are from Canada, and dozens of them have even represented Les Rouges on the international stage.
The only CPLer with split loyalties in Canada's first match on Friday, however, will be Cavalry FC's Amer Didić. He was born in Zenica, Bosnia before moving to Canada as a child, and he maintains fierce pride for his family's home.
There are no CPLers with roots in Qatar or Switzerland that we can find, so everyone will be behind Canada for the other two group matches.
Group C (Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland)
Vancouver FC attacker Vitor Lucas is the only CPL player born in Brazil, but goalkeeper Matheus De Souza also has Brazilian heritage, as does Atlético Ottawa winger Gabriel Antinoro.
Several CPLers come from Moroccan families, including Supra midfielders Safwane Mlah and Omar Elkalkouli. Their teammate, Diyaeddine Abzi, was born in Fes.
Five Canadian-born players have Haitian heritage, plus Ottawa keeper Garissone Innocent represents the country internationally.
This year there aren't any CPLers hailing directly from Scotland, but Vancouver's Kian Proctor and Cavalry's James McGlinchey have Scottish heritage.
Group D (USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey)
Perhaps the group with the least CPL representation, but there are a few Australians in the league. Pacific FC duo Bul Juach and Taras Gomulka both come from down under, though Juach was born in South Sudan.
There are several players born in the U.S., including Pacific's Ronan Kratt and Cavalry's Curtis Ofori, plus Vancouver's Henri Godbout and Mlah of Supra.
Group E (Germany, Curaçao, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador)
Cavalry FC forward Tobias Warschewski is the lone German national in the league.
A number of CPLers have Ivorian heritage, though, including Ottawa's Ballou Tabla and Jean-Aniel Assi who were born in the country — as was Pacific's Yann Toualy. Supra's Bakary Kaboré also has roots in the Ivory Coast.
Inter Toronto winger Ariel Almagro comes from Ecuador.
Group F (Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia)
The CPL has a wealth of Dutch-born central defenders, including Diego Konincks (Pacific), Daan Klomp (Cavalry), Daniel Krutzen (Forge) and Frank Sturing (Inter Toronto) — the latter having played for Canada internationally. Halifax midfielder Sven Zitman also comes from the Netherlands, and Forge captain Kyle Bekker has Dutch heritage.
Two players have links to Japan: Forge's Keito Lipovschek and Vancouver's Henri Godbout.
Sweden are represented at the B.C. clubs by Pacific's Lukas Browning-Lagerfeldt (born in Ireland to a Swedish family) and Vancouver's Isak Ssewankambo, while Tunisia's lone representative is Supra midfielder Oussema Boughanmi, who spent the better part of two decades playing in his native country.
Group G (Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand)
For Belgium's representation, we start with Inter Toronto's Béni Badibanga, who was born and raised there and played for Belgian youth sides, although he has been called up to DR Congo's senior national team. Forge defender Krutzen also spent much of his youth in Belgium.
Pacific midfielder Sami Keshavarz has Iranian family ties, while Finn Linder (Halifax), Luis Toomey (Vancouver) and Jay Herdman (Cavalry) come from New Zealand.
Group H (Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay)
The only Spanish-born player in the CPL is Halifax's Miguel Arilla. However, the biggest Spain connection in the league is surely Atlético Ottawa's connection to parent club Atlético de Madrid.
Vancouver midfielder Nicolas Mezquida is the CPL's sole Uruguayan player, hailing from Paysandú.
Group I (France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway)
Plenty of CPLers were born in France, including Forge's Antoine Batisse, Vancouver's Lys Mousset, Cavalry's Bradley Kamdem, FC Supra's Bakary Kaboré and Halifax's Yohan Baï, Jason Bahamboula and Lorenzo Callegari.
A handful of players, including Mousset, have Senegalese heritage. So, too, does FC Supra goalkeeper Makhoudia Diop. Forge midfielder Khadim Kane was born in Senegal.
The CPL has one Norwegian player: Ottawa's Erling Myklebust. Perhaps not the best-known striker from Norway named Erling, but nonetheless he'll be supporting the Landslaget.
Group J (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan)
Atlético Ottawa captain Manny Aparicio is proudly Argentinian, having celebrated in Buenos Aires when the Albiceleste last won the World Cup in 2022. Halifax midfielder Lucas Olguin also has roots there through his father.
FC Supra's Riad Bey hails from Algeria originally.
Group K (Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia)
Five CPLers have links to Portugal, including Inter Toronto midfielder Jesse Costa who represented them at youth level. Wesley Timoteo, Tristan Borges, Marcus Godinho and Mattias Vales all share Portuguese heritage as well. Toronto head coach Mauro Eustáquio was born in Portugal.
The DR Congo might be the country with the closest World Cup connection to the CPL; Forge goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud regularly plays for their national team. He didn't make the World Cup squad, but he'll be cheering them on from Hamilton. His teammate Hoce Massunda and Toronto's Badibanga also have roots in the DR Congo.
Kamron Habibullah of Atlético Ottawa proudly represents Uzbekistan in this list, having been born in Tashkent before moving to B.C.
For Colombia, Pacific defender Juan Quintana is proud to support Los Cafeteros, as is Cavalry FC captain Sergio Camargo (born in Cúcuta).
Group L (England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama)
Plenty of CPL players either come directly from England or have family there. Forge's Dan Nimick was raised there, as was Cavalry defender Levi Laing. Inter Toronto winger Shola Jimoh was born in Newcastle, and Halifax's Harvey Hughes represents Hampshire.
Inter Toronto goalkeeper Ivan Pavela has Croatian heritage, and played in the country briefly in 2024.
Two CPLers have Ghanaian roots; Forge winger Nana Ampomah is a native of Tema and has four caps for the Black Stars. Cavalry's Curtis Ofori, meanwhile, was born in the U.S. but is of Ghanaian descent.
