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Sports in Canadaconsist of a wide variety of games. Theroots of organized sports in Canadadate back to the 1770s,[1]culminating in the development and popularization of the major professional games ofice hockey,lacrosse,basketball,baseball,soccer,footballandcricket.[2]Canada's official national sports are ice hockey (winter official) and lacrosse (summer official).[3]Golf,baseball,tennis,skiing,ringette,badminton,cricket,volleyball,cycling,swimming,bowling,rugby union,canoeing,curling,squash,and the study ofmartial artsare widely enjoyed at the youth and amateur levels.[4]Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized byCanada's Sports Hall of Fame,[5]while theLou Marsh Trophyis awarded annually to Canada's top athlete by a panel of journalists.[6]There are numerous other Sports Halls of Fame in Canada.[5]

Canada shares severalmajor professional sports leagueswith the United States.[7]Canadian teams in these leagues include seven franchises in theNational Hockey League,as well as threeMajor League Soccerteams and one team in each ofMajor League Baseballand theNational Basketball Association.Other popular professional sports in Canada includeCanadian football,which is played in theCanadian Football League,National Lacrosse Leaguelacrosse, andcurling.[8]

Canada has enjoyed greater successat the Winter Olympicsthanat the Summer Olympics[9]and has hosted several high-profile international sporting events, including the1976 Summer Olympics,[10]the1988 Winter Olympics,[11]the1994 Basketball World Championship,[12]the2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup,[13]the2010 Winter Olympics[14][15]and the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[16]Most recently, Canada hosted the2015 Pan American Gamesand2015 Parapan American Gamesin Toronto, the former being one of the largest sporting event hosted by the country.[17]The country is also scheduled to co-host the2026 FIFA World Cup,alongside Mexico and the United States.[18]

History

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Main article:History of Canadian sports

The history of Canadian sports falls into five stages of development: early recreational activities before 1840; the start of organized competition, 1840–1880; the emergence of national organizations, 1882–1914; the rapid growth of both amateur and professional sports, 1914 to 1960; and developments of the last century[19]Some sports, especially ice hockey, ringette, lacrosse, and curling, enjoy an international reputation as particularly Canadian.[20]

Governance

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Main article:Sport Canada

Federalandprovincialgovernments are both actively involved in sports each has areas of jurisdiction which overlap sports.Sport Canadagenerally directs (or at least co-ordinates) federal activity in sports. While the federal government generally tries to take a leadership role in areas of international competition (where its jurisdiction is clearest) some provinces, especially Quebec, are actively involved in sports at all levels, even with elite international athletes. Provinces will often focus on student athletics, as it falls more clearly in an area of provincial jurisdiction (that being education).[21]

University and collegiate sport

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U Sportsis the national governing body for university sports, while theCanadian Collegiate Athletic Associationgoverns college sports. A factor which affects athletic participation levels in U Sports member institutions is the U Sports restriction that scholarships cover tuition only, drawing many of Canada's best student athletes to the United States where organizations such as theNational Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) allow "full ride" scholarships which include tuition, books, housing, and travel. Another is the popularCanadian Hockey League(for male hockey players aged 15 to 20), which effectively serves as the primary development league for the professionalNational Hockey League,although CHL teams offer financial support for players who choose to play U Sports hockey after leaving the CHL.

National sports

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Canada has twode jurenational sports:ice hockeyandlacrosse.

In May 1964, formerCanadian Amateur Hockey Associationpresident and then current member of parliamentJack Roxburghdid extensive research to find if Canadian parliament had ever declared a national game, and specifically looked into whether lacrosse was officially declared. After going through parliamentary records, he found no law was ever enacted.The Canadian Pressreported at the time that the myth of lacrosse as Canada's national game possibly came from a book published in 1869 titledLacrosse, the National Game of Canada,and that theCanadian Lacrosse Associationwas founded in 1867.[22][23]His endeavour to declare hockey as Canada's national game coincided with theGreat Canadian Flag Debateof 1964.[24]On October 28, 1964, Roxburgh moved to introduce Bill C–132, with respect to declaring hockey as the national game of Canada.[25]

Canadian Lacrosse Association members responded to the motion by calling it insulting and "out of line", and vowed to fight it.[26]On June 11, 1965,Bob Prittiereplied by introducing a separate bill to have lacrosse declared as Canada's national game and stated that, "I think it is fitting at this time when we are considering national flags, national anthems and other national symbols, that this particular matter should be settled now".[24]The choice of Canada's national game was debated in 1965, but neither bill was passed when parliament was dissolved.[27]In 1967, Prime MinisterLester B. Pearsonproposed to name national summer and winter games, but nothing was resolved.[24]

In 1994,First Nationsgroups objected to a government bill that proposed establishing ice hockey as Canada's national sport, arguing that it neglected recognition of the game of lacrosse, a uniquely Indigenous contribution. In response, theHouse of Commonsamended a bill "to recognize hockey as Canada's Winter Sport and lacrosse as Canada's Summer Sport". On May 12, 1994, theNational Sports of Canada Actcame into force with these designations.[28]

Although the legislation included seasonal designations, both sports can be played in different seasons. Lacrosse can be played all year, in all seasons, indoor and outdoors. During colder seasons ice hockey may be played indoor and outdoors, although in warmer seasons, its play requires the use ofartificial ice,typically found at an indoorice rink.

Ice hockey

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Main article:Ice hockey in Canada
See also:Canada men's national ice hockey teamandCanada women's national ice hockey team
A game ofpick-up hockeyin progress at Esplande Park inQuebec City.

The modern form of ice hockey began in Canada in the late 19th century, and is widely considered Canada'snational pastime,with high levels of participation by children, men and women at various levels of competition. TheStanley Cup,considered the premiere trophy in professional ice hockey, originated in Canada in 1893. Prominent trophies for national championships in Canada are theMemorial Cupfor the top junior-age men's team and theAllan Cupfor the top men's senior team. There are national championships in several other divisions of play.Hockey Canadais the sport's official governing body in Canada and is a member of theInternational Ice Hockey Federation(IIHF). A Canadian national men's team, composed of professionals, competes in the annual IIHF Men's World Championship and in the Olympics.

TheNational Hockey League(NHL) is a professional hockey league that includes teams from both Canada and the United States. Presently, the NHL includes seven teams in Canada: theCalgary Flames,Edmonton Oilers,Montreal Canadiens,Ottawa Senators,Toronto Maple Leafs,Vancouver Canucks,and theWinnipeg Jets.The Canadian NHL presence peaked with eight teams in the mid-1990s, before theQuebec Nordiquesrelocated toDenver, Coloradoin 1995 and a previous incarnation of theWinnipeg Jetsrelocated toPhoenix, Arizonain 1996. The NHL returned to Winnipeg in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers relocated and became the current Winnipeg Jets. The league, founded in Canada, retains a substantial Canadian content as roughly half of its players are Canadian.Hockey Night in Canadais a longtime national Saturday nighttelevision broadcastfeaturing Canadian NHL teams. Junior-age ice hockey is also a popular spectator sport. The junior-ageCanadian Hockey Leagueis broadcast nationally and its annual Memorial Cup championship is a popular television event. The annualIIHF World U20 Championship,played during December and January, is popular among Canadian television viewers and has been held in Canada numerous times due to its popularity.

Lacrosse

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Alacrossegame betweenCanadaand theUnited Statesat the2008 U-19 World Lacrosse Championship.
Main article:Lacrosse in Canada

The First Nations began playing the sport more than 500 years ago. Today lacrosse not only remains an integral part of Indigenous culture, but is played by tens of thousands of people across Canada and the north eastern United States. From its origin as 'The Creator's Game' to the healthy popularity of the modern game, lacrosse has survived the test of time after treading down a long, controversial path that led it to become recognized as Canada's official national summer sport.

TheCanadian Lacrosse Association,founded in 1925, is the governing body of lacrosse in Canada. It conducts national junior and senior championship tournaments for men and women in both field and box lacrosse. It also participated in the inaugural World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in 2003. As of 2018, the only active professional lacrosse league in Canada is theNational Lacrosse League,which plays a variation of the game known asbox lacrosse.A total of five of the league's thirteen franchises are located in Canada: theVancouver Warriors,Calgary Roughnecks,Saskatchewan Rush,Toronto Rock,andHalifax Thunderbirds.The2006 World Lacrosse Championshipwas held inLondon, Ontario.Canada beat the United States 15–10 in the final to break a 28-year U.S. winning streak. One of the best lacrosse players of all time,Gary Gaitwas born inVictoria, British Columbiaand has won every possible major lacrosse championship. Great achievements in Canadian Lacrosse are recognized by theCanadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Team sports

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Baseball

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Main article:Baseball in Canada

The world's first documented baseball game took place inBeachville, Ontario,on June 4, 1838.[29][30]Although more strongly associated with the United States, baseball has existed in Canada from the very beginning. The world's oldest baseball park still in operation isLabatt Parkin London, Ontario.[31][32][33][34]It is home to theLondon Majorsof the semi-proIntercounty Baseball League.

The2016 American League Wild Card GameatRogers Centrein Toronto. Since 2005, theToronto Blue Jaysare the only Canadian team inMajor League Baseball.

Presently, theToronto Blue Jaysare Canada's onlyMajor League Baseballteam, founded in 1977. TheMontreal Expos(the first MLB team in Canada) played in Montreal from 1969 until 2004 when they moved to Washington, D.C., and became theWashington Nationals.The Blue Jays were the first non-American team to host aWorld SeriesGame (in 1992) and the only non-American team to win the World Series (back to back in 1992 and 1993). The Blue Jays had the highest attendance in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[35]Professional baseball has a long history in Canada, beginning with teams such as theLondon Tecumsehs,Montreal Royals,andToronto Maple Leafsin the late 19th and early 20th centuries. All three were included onthe National Baseball Association's top 100 minor league teams.

A number ofCanadianshave played in the major leagues, and several have won the highest honours in baseball.Ferguson Jenkinswon theNational LeagueCy Young Awardin 1971 as the best pitcher in the league, and in1991became the first Canadian inducted in the(U.S.) Baseball Hall of Fame.Larry Walker,inducted in2020,was National LeagueMVPfor the 1997 season and was the league'sbatting champion3 times. Since 2000,Éric Gagnéwon the National LeagueCy Young Awardin 2003,Jason Baywas the first Canadian to be namedrookie of the yearin 2004, andJustin Morneau(American League, 2006),Joey Votto(National League, 2010) andFreddie Freeman(National League, 2020)[a]have won MVP honours.

TheCanada national baseball teamhas participated in all editions of theWorld Baseball Classic.In the2006 World Baseball Classic,the team upset Team USA in first-round play,[36]which some people in Canada call the "Miracle on Dirt" (a play on the phrase "Miracle on Ice"for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team). However, the team has yet to progress past the first round.

The only Canadian team inMLB-affiliated minor leaguesis theVancouver Canadiansof theNorthwest League(High-A). There are a number of independent minor league teams, as well as semi-professional and collegiate baseball teams in Canada (seeList of baseball teams in Canada). Great achievements in Canadian baseball are recognized by theCanadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Basketball

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Main article:Basketball in Canada
TheCanadian men's national basketball teamplaying anexhibition gameagainst theChinese men's national basketball team.

Basketball has very strong roots in Canada. The inventor,James Naismith,was Canadian; born inAlmonte, Ontario,he was working as a physical education instructor inMassachusettswhen he created the game in 1891. Four of the players in that first game were Canadian student-instructors, who later helped spread the game to Canada.[37]Basketball is a popular sport in parts of Canada, especially inNova Scotia,Southern Alberta,and more recentlySouthern Ontario.

The popularity of basketball in Nova Scotia is at the high school and college level. Nova Scotia is home to three perennially strong college basketball programs.Saint Mary's University,Acadia University,andSt. Francis Xavier Universityhave made 22, 21, and 13 appearances in theU Sports men's championship,respectively.Carleton Universityhas dominated the U Sports championship in recent years, winning 14 titles in 17 years from 2003 to the present.

Four Canadian-born individuals and one naturalized Canadian have beeninductedto theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame—Naismith and longtimeU.S. collegecoach and instructorPete Newellas contributors;Ernie Quigley,whoofficiatedover 1,500 U.S. college games, as a referee; andBob Houbregs,a superstar at theUniversity of Washingtonin the early 1950s who went on to a career in theNBA.Newell is also separately recognized by the Hall as the head coach of the1960 USA Olympic team,whichwon a gold medalin overwhelming fashion and was inducted as a unit in 2010. The most recent Canadian to enter the Naismith Hall isSteve Nash,born in South Africa but raised from early childhood inVictoria, British Columbia,a two-timeNBA MVPwho was inducted in 2016.

TheNational Basketball Association(NBA) recognizes its first ever game as being a contest between theNew York KnickerbockersandToronto HuskiesatToronto'sMaple Leaf Gardenson November 1, 1946.[38] The NBA expanded into Canada in 1995 with the addition of theToronto RaptorsandVancouver Grizzlies.The GrizzliesmovedtoMemphis, Tennesseein 2001, but the Raptors continue to draw healthy crowds atScotiabank Arena.The Raptors won their first NBA title in 2019.

A record 16 Canadian players—14 born in the country and two naturalized—were on NBA rosters at the start of the2019–20 season.This was also a record for the number of players from any single non-U.S. country at the start of any NBA season.[39]

Canadian football

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Main article:Canadian football
A game between theRegina Thunderand theSaskatoon Hilltopsof theCanadian Junior Football LeagueatTaylor Field (Mosaic Stadium).

In Canada, the term "football" is used to refer toCanadian football,agridiron-based gameclosely related to but distinct fromAmerican footballas played in the United States. Canadian football has its origins inRugby footballbeginning in the early 1860s,[40]but, over time, a unique code known as Canadian football developed. The first documented football match was a game played at University College, University of Toronto on November 9, 1861. One of the participants in the game involving University of Toronto students was (Sir)William Mulock,later Chancellor of the school. A football club was formed at the university soon afterward, although its rules of play at this stage are unclear. In 1864, at Trinity College, Toronto, F. Barlow Cumberland and Frederick A. Bethune devised rules based on rugby football.

However, modern Canadian football is widely regarded as having originated with a game of rugby played in Montreal, in 1865, when British Army officers played local civilians. The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal Football Club was formed in 1868, the first recorded non-university football club in Canada. This "rugby-football" soon became popular at Montreal's McGill University. McGill challenged Harvard University to a game, in 1874. The game grew separately in parallel from this point onward in the U.S. and Canada.

Both theCanadian Football League(CFL), the sport's onlyprofessional league in Canada,andFootball Canada,the governing body for amateur play, trace their roots to 1884 and the founding of the Canadian Rugby Football Union. Currently active teams such as theToronto ArgonautsandHamilton Tiger-Catshave similar longevity. The CFL's championship game, theGrey Cup,is the country's single largest sporting event and is watched by nearly one third of Canadian television households.[41]The nine CFL teams are theBC Lions,Calgary Stampeders,Edmonton Elks,Saskatchewan Roughriders,Winnipeg Blue Bombers,Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts,Ottawa Redblacks,andMontreal Alouettes.A tenth team, theHalifax-basedAtlantic Schooners,is currently in the planning stages.

Canadian football is also played at the high school, junior, collegiate, semi-professional, and amateur levels. TheCanadian Junior Football LeagueandQuebec Junior Football Leagueare for players aged 18–22. Post-secondary institutions inU Sportscompete for theVanier Cup.Canada also has three women's leagues: theMaritime Women's Football League,theCentral Canadian Women's Football League,and theWestern Women's Canadian Football League.The WWCFL is the biggest women's league, featuring seven teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Senior leagues such as theAlberta Football Leaguehave also grown in popularity in recent years. Great achievements in Canadian football are recognized by theCanadian Football Hall of Fame;located atTim Hortons FieldinHamilton, Ontario.

Cricket

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Main article:Cricket in Canada

The earliest reports of cricket in Canada date from 1785 where games seem to have taken place in Montreal. The first reference to cricket being played on an organized basis is in 1834 when a club was founded inTorontoand there are reports of matches being played in Hamilton and Guelph. Along with the United States, Canada was one of the two participants in thefirst international cricket match,which took place in September 1884. In 1867, Canadian prime ministerJohn A. MacDonaldand his cabinet declared cricket to be Canada's first official sport.[42][43]

Curling

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Main article:Curling in Canada
The2005Brier.The Brier is the annual Canadian men's curling championship.

Curling competitions in Canada include theMontana's Brier(national men's championship) andScotties Tournament of Hearts(national women's championship.) Men's and women's (andmixed teams) national champions move on toannual international competitions,where Canadian teams have historically dominated (even over the country ofcurling's origin,Scotland). TheContinental Cupfeatures a Canada vs. The World format. Professional curling competitions include theGrand Slam of Curling,part of theWorld Curling Tour. Curling Canadais the sport's national governing body; achievements are recognized by theCanadian Curling Hall of Fame.

Disc sports

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In Canada, organizeddisc sportsbegan in the early 1970s, with promotional efforts fromIrwin Toy(Frisbee distributor in Canada), theCanadian Open Frisbee Championships,Toronto (1972–85) and professionals usingFrisbeeshow tours to perform at universities, fairs and sporting events.[44]Disc sportssuch asfreestyle,disc dog(with a human handler throwing discs for a dog to catch),double disc court,guts,ultimateanddisc golfbecame this sport's first events.[45][46]Two sports, the team sport ofdisc ultimateanddisc golfare very popular worldwide and are now being played semi-professionally.[47][48]TheWorld Flying Disc Federation,Professional Disc Golf Association,and the Freestyle Players Association are the rules and sanctioning organizations for flying disc sports worldwide.Ultimate Canadais the rules and sanctioning organization for disc ultimate in Canada.[49]

In 2013, as a founding partner, the Toronto Ultimate Club presented Canada's first semi-professionalUltimateteam, theToronto Rush,to theAmerican Ultimate Disc League(AUDL). They went undefeated 18–0 and won the AUDL Championships.[50][51][52] In 2014, theMontreal Royaland theVancouver Riptidejoined the AUDL. From 2015 to 2022, theOttawa Outlawscompeted in the AUDL, becoming the fourth Canadian franchise of 26 teams in total.

In 2015, theInternational Olympic Committee(IOC) granted full recognition to theWorld Flying Disc Federation(WFDF) forflying discsports includingUltimate.[53][54]

Ringette

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Main article:Ringette
Women playingringettein Canada'sNational Ringette League

Ringettefirst appeared in Canada in 1963 after it was first conceptualized bySam Jacks,a formerTorontoYMCAdirector who served as a Canadian soldier duringWorld War II.Created specifically for girls[55]by Sam Jacks while he was living inNorth Bay, Ontario,the sport is now most popularly played by girls and women of all ages and has experienced its greatest success in Canada and Finland. Unlike most organized sports, all of ringette's top athletes are female, one of the sport's most distinctive features.

By the 1980s, ringette surpassed female ice hockey in national registrations.[56]While the sport lost potential talent once women's ice hockey became an Olympic sport, the 21st century has seen the sport regain popularity.[57][58]

Canada's semi-professional ringette league, theNational Ringette League(NRL) formed in 2004, becoming the first winter team sports league in North America to feature elite female athletes rather than male. The NRL acts as a showcase league for the sport.

Rugby league

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Main article:Rugby league in Canada
TheToronto Wolfpacktake the field against theLondon Broncos.Competing in theSuper League,the Wolfpark is Canada's first fully professional rugby team.

Rugby league first appeared in Canada in the 20th century, although by the end of the 1980s, the sport had disappeared entirely from the nation. However, the 21st century has seen the game gain popularity in Canada. Internationally, Canada is represented by theCanadian Wolverines.Domestically, theCanada Rugby League(CRL) runs several amateur and semi-professional club competitions.

Toronto Wolfpack,the first fully professional team of any code of rugby football in Canada, began play in 2017 in the predominantly British and FrenchRugby Football Leaguesystem.The franchise started in the 3rd tierLeague 1,which offers a route to theSuper Leagueand wonpromotionto the 2nd tierChampionshipin its inaugural season. The Wolfpack spent two seasons in the Championship before earning promotion toSuper Leaguefor the2020 season.In July 2020, the team withdrew from the remainder of the Super League season due to "overwhelming financial challenges" caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[59]In November 2020, the Wolfpack’s application for readmission to Super League for the2021was rejected.[60]

Rugby union

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Main article:Rugby union in Canada
TheCanada national rugby union teamat the2007 Rugby World Cup.

Canada has around 13,000 seniors and twice as many junior players spread across the country. Many of these come from Canada's rugby stronghold ofBritish Columbiawhile also being strong inNewfoundlandandOntario.TheCanadian Rugby Championshipis the premier domestic rugby union competition since 2009, featuring four regionally based Canadian teams. In 2009, the top two teams advanced to theAmericas Rugby Championship,where they faced the A national teams from Argentina and the United States. From 2010 to 2015, the country was represented at the ARC by one team,Canada A.Starting in 2016, the competition was revamped along the lines of Europe'sSix Nations Championshipand the Southern Hemisphere'sRugby Championship.Since that time, Canada's senior national team has competed in the ARC alongside senior national sides fromBrazil,Chile,Uruguay,and theUnited States,plusArgentina's A national team.

The sport's domestic governing body,Rugby Canada,scrapped its previous national competition, theRugby Canada Super League,in favour of a new national under-20 league, theRugby Canada National Junior Championship.

TheCanadian national sidehave competed in everyRugby World Cupto date, yet have only won one match each tournament with the exception of the 1991 tournament where they reached the quarterfinals; the 2007 tournament when their best result was a draw against Japan in the group stage; and the 2019 tournament, when they went winless in their first three group matches and then saw their final match against Namibia cancelled and scored as a draw due to animpending typhoon.

Highlights include famous victories overScotlandandWales,and until recently frequent wins over their North American neighbours, the United States. However, since 2013, the U.S. has dominatedthe rivalry,with 11 wins and one draw from the teams' last 12 matches. Known for their trademark "hard nosed" style of play, many Canadian players play their trade professionally in English and French leagues.

TheToronto Arrowsprofessional rugby union club debuted September 2017, and started play inMajor League Rugbyas of 2019.[61]The Arrows team, an independent off-shoot of theOntario Blues Rugby Football Club,features mostly Canadian players and staff. The team's home field isYork Lions Stadiumon the Keele Campus ofYork University.

Soccer

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Main article:Soccer in Canada
TheCanadian women's national soccer teamin a soccer game againstAustraliaduring the2016 Summer Olympics.

Soccer has been played in Canada since 1876. The Dominion of Canada Football Association was inaugurated on May 24, 1912, and initially became a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association on December 31, 1912. Today, Canada's governing body for soccer (both professional and amateur) is known as the Canadian Soccer Association.

Soccer is the highest participation sport in Canada, with 847,616 registered players (according to the Canada Soccer 2012 Yearbook). Male/female participation is split roughly 59/41 percent. There are 1,456 clubs in 139 districts across 12 regions (provincial and territory member associations).

Canada's annual amateur competition is known as the National Championships. Senior men's teams play forThe Challenge Trophywhile senior women's teams play forThe Jubilee Trophy.The men's national competition was first played in 1913, with the trophy (Connaught Cup) donated by Canadian Governor-General, theDuke of Connaught.The women's national competition was first played in 1982. The Canadian Soccer Association's annual National Championships also feature competitions at the U-18, U-16 and U-14 levels. At all levels, clubs qualify for the National Championships through their respective provincial championships.

At the St. Louis 1904 Olympics, Canada won the gold medal in soccer. The Canadian team was represented by Galt FC of Ontario. From 1967 to 1988, Canada's best men's amateur soccer players also participated in Olympic Qualifying tournaments (although in the 1980s a number of those players were indeed professional). Canada qualified as host of the Montréal 1976 Olympics and then again for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics (where it finished fifth overall). Since the early 1990s, the Men's olympic qualifying tournaments have featured U-23 players (with a mix of professional and amateur/university players).

Professional soccer

[edit]
TheVoyageurs Cupis a trophy for theCanadian Championship,an annual soccer tournament for professional teams in Canada.

Canada's annual professional competition is theCanadian Championship,which is contested betweenToronto FC,Vancouver Whitecaps FC,CF Montréal,all nineCanadian Premier Leagueteams, and the champions ofLeague1 British Columbia,League1 Ontario,and thePremière Ligue de soccer du Québec.[62]The national champion qualifies for theCONCACAF Champions Cup,from which a confederation champion then qualifies for the annualFIFA Club World Cup.Toronto FC is the only Canadian club to have won theMLS Cup,having done so on December 9, 2017.[63]

A minority of the teams in the Canadian Championship play in U.S.-based leagues. Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and CF Montréal play inMajor League Soccer.FC Edmontonplayed in the second-levelNorth American Soccer Leagueuntil going dormant in late 2017, andOttawa Fury FCvoluntarily dropped from the NASL to the third-level United Soccer League, now known as theUSL Championship(USLC), after the 2016 season. FC Edmonton ultimately resumed professional operations in 2019 as inaugural Canadian Premier League members,[64]while Fury FC continued in the USLC until folding after the 2019 season.

Two other Canadian professional sides play in U.S.-based leagues. Toronto FC's reserve side,Toronto FC II,which is ineligible for the Canadian Championship due to its relation to the MLS side, started play in the league now known as the USLC in 2014, and remained at that level through the 2018 season. In 2019, TFC II moved to the new third-levelUSL League One,continuing to play in that league through the 2021 season before moving to the newly establishedMLS Next Pro,a different third-level league made up almost entirely of MLS reserve sides, in 2022. Whitecaps FC revived its former reserve side ofWhitecaps FC 2in 2022 after a five-year hiatus, with Whitecaps 2 also playing in Next Pro. Whitecaps 2, also ineligible for the Canadian Championship due to its relationship with the MLS side, will adopt a new name after the 2023 season.

TheCanadian Premier League(CPL) is a professional soccer league that began play in spring 2019, consisting of an initial seven teams; one is based in the outer suburbs of Toronto, with all others in Canadian markets not served by Major League Soccer. An eighth team,Atlético Ottawa,began CPL play in 2020, whileVancouver FCdebuted in 2023 as the league's ninth team. Two more teams have been announced for Saskatoon and Windsor, but no entry dates have been announced. The league has a minimum requirement of Canadian players on each roster and an annualdraft of U Sports players,to develop Canadian talent. The eventual goal of the league is to have multiple divisions withpromotion and relegation.Effective with the 2023 season, the team that tops the CPL regular-season table and the winner of the postseason playoffs qualify for the following year's CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Canada's best soccer players—male and female—play in professional leagues around the world. Players are called into the national program at different times of the year, primarily in conjunction with the FIFA International Calendar (when professional clubs are required to release players for national duty).

Canada's national teams compete inCONCACAF,the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. Canada's national "A" team has won two CONCACAF championships: in1985to qualify for the1986 FIFA World Cupand in2000to qualify for theFIFA Confederations Cup.In 2022, the men's side finished first in thefinal CONCACAF qualifying groupfor the2022 FIFA World Cup.They have also qualified for the2026 FIFA World Cupas hosts.

Canada's women's "A" team has also won two CONCACAF championships: in 1998 and 2010. The Canadian women have participated in sixFIFA Women's World Cups(Sweden 1995, United States 1999, United States 2003, China 2007, Germany 2011 and as hosts in 2015) and four Women's Olympic Football Tournaments (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020/21), winning bronze medals in both London and Rio and gold in Tokyo. Canada also hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup in2015.The country has also hosted four age-grade World Cups—theFIFA U-17 World Cupin1987(when the age limit was 16 instead of the current 17), the inauguralFIFA U-20 Women's World Cupin2002(when the age limit was 19 instead of 20), theFIFA U-20 World Cupin2007,and the U-20 Women's World Cup for a second time in2014.Canada will host the2026 FIFA World Cupjointly with Mexico and the United States.[65]

Other team sports

[edit]
A game ofAustralian rules footballbetween twoAFL Quebecteams: Laval and Pointe-Claire.

Australian rules football in Canadais a minor participation sport and is governed byAFL Canada.The sport has been played in the country since 1989 when the first league was formed. The sport is quickly becoming popular,[citation needed]with theOntario Australian Football Leaguebeing the biggest outside of Australia.[citation needed]The men'sCanada national Australian rules football teamand a women's national team both who regularly play international matches and play in theAustralian Football International Cupwhich is essentially a World Cup for all countries apart from Australia which is the only place where the sport is played professionally.Mike Pykebecame the first Canadian to play in theAustralian Football Leaguewhen he was drafted by theSydney Swansin 2008, and became the first Canadian to play in an AFL premiership (championship-winning) team when the Swans won the 2012AFL Grand Final.

A game ofcricketatVancouver'sStanley Park.

Cricket in Canadanever caught on the way it did in the rest of the British Empire.[66]While Canada is not sanctioned to playTest matches,thenational teamdoes take part inOne Day International(ODI) matches and also in first-class games (in the ICC Intercontinental Cup) against other non-Test-playing opposition, with a rivalry against theUnited States.The match between these two nations is in fact theoldest international fixture in cricket,having first been played in 1844. Canada has participated in the 1979, 2003 and 2007Cricket World Cups,and qualified for the2011 Cricket World Cup.[67] In February 2018, the ICC sanctioned theGlobal T20 Canada,the first franchise-basedTwenty20league in North America.[68][69]

Canada featured a men's national team in beach volleyball that competed at the2018–2020 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.[70]

Individual sports

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Bowling

[edit]
A boy playingfive-pin bowling,a bowling variant which is played in Canada.
See also:Five-pin bowling

The sport ofbowlingtakes several forms in Canada, includingten-pinandlawn bowling,but most notably Canada has its own version:Five-pin bowling,which was invented circa 1909 byThomas F. RyaninToronto, Ontario,at hisToronto Bowling Club,in response to customers who complained that the ten-pin game was too strenuous. He cut five tenpins down to about 75% of their size, and used hand-sized hard rubber balls, thus inventing the original version of five-pin bowling.[71]Five-pin is played in all parts of Canada, but not played in any other country.Candlepin bowling,regulated by theInternational Candlepin Bowling Associationin both Canada and the United States, is played at several centres in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

In Quebec, a variation ofduckpin bowlingis played using pins with rubber bands around their widest section, known in French aspetites quilles.[72]

Combat sports

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Boxing

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Main article:Boxing in Canada
Boxing match in Fort Frances, Ontario in 1900

Canada has produced several boxing world champions, including heavyweightsTommy BurnsandLennox Lewis.Boxing is generally learned in independent gyms, located in most large Canadian cities. Canadian boxers compete in the Olympic Games and often then turn professional.

Judo

[edit]
Main article:Judo in Canada

The Japanese martial art Judo has been practised in Canada for nearly a century. The first Judodojoin Canada, Tai Iku Dojo, was established inVancouverin 1924 byShigetaka "Steve" Sasaki.[73]Today, an estimated 30,000 Canadians participate in Judo programs in approximately 400 clubs across Canada.[74]

Canadians have won five Olympic medals in Judo since it was added to the Summer games in 1964.Doug Rogerswon silver in the +80 kg category in 1964,Mark Bergerwon bronze in the +95 kg category in 1984,Nicolas Gillwon bronze in the 86 kg category in 1992 and silver in the 100 kg category in 2000, andAntoine Valois-Fortierwon bronze in the −81 kg category in 2012. The Canadian Judo team trains at the National Training Centre in Montreal under Gill's direction.[75]

Mixed martial arts

[edit]
Main article:Mixed martial arts in Canada

Canada has produced several notable MMA fighters, appearing in the UFC and other promotions. Canada is the home of former UFC Welterweight and Middleweight ChampionGeorges St-Pierre,formerBellator MMAWelterweight ChampionRory McDonald,as well asPFL2022 Lightweight Tournamentand2023 Lightweight TournamentChampionOlivier Aubin-Mercier.

Wrestling

[edit]
Main article:Wrestling in Canada

Wrestlingin Canada is very popular both as a recreational and as a competitive sport, and takes a variety of forms, reflecting Canada's diverse and multicultural makeup. At the middle, high school and collegiate level there is a broad-based varsity participation inFreestyle WrestlingandGreco-Roman Wrestling.Outside of schools among the general population, the dominant forms of wrestling are Judo,Submission Grappling,Brazilian Jiu-jitsuandSambo.Each of these forms of wrestling was brought to Canada from abroad both by coaches who immigrated to Canada from elsewhere and by students of the sport who studied it overseas and returned with their enthusiasm. Examples of famous Canadian wrestlers among these various wrestling sports are such asDaniel IgaliforFreestyle Wrestling,Nicolas Gill,Ron AngusandKeith Morganfor Judo,Marc Bocekfor bothSubmission GrapplingandBrazilian Jiu-jitsu.Canada has a strong showing on the international scene, at world championships and at the Olympics in all these wrestling sports.

Cycling

[edit]
Main article:Cycling in Canada
Amountain bikeron Goat Mountain Bike Trail in theYukon.Cycling is a popular recreational activity in Canada.

Cyclinghas increased its participation in the past few years. Several new genres of the sport have become popular in Canada, includingslopestyle competition,four cross,downhill mountain biking,dirt jumping,andfreeride.With the sport increasing bikes have also increased in quality and durability.

Golf

[edit]

Golf is a widely enjoyed recreational sport in Canada, and the country boasts several highly rated courses.Golf Canadais the governing organization, and has over 1,600 associated member clubs and over 300,000 individual members.[76]Golf Canada also conducts the onlyPGA TourandLPGA Tourevents in Canada, and it also manages theCanadian Golf Hall of Fame.PGA Tour Canada(also known as the Canadian Tour), owned and operated by the PGA Tour since late 2012, operates an organization that runs a series of tournaments for professional players. In its first season under PGA Tour operation in 2013, it held a qualifying school in California, and followed it with nine tournaments in Canada. The 2014 season saw significant expansion. Three qualifying schools were held—one in California, another in Florida, and finally in British Columbia. The BC qualifier was followed by a series of 12 tournaments, all in Canada. The top five money-winners on the tour earn full membership in the following season of the PGA Tour's second-levelKorn Ferry Tour.

Twenty-eight Canadians have won a total of 81 events on the PGA and LPGA tours, combined. Ontario'sMike Weirwon the2003 Masters Tournament,becoming the first Canadian man to win one of golf'smajors.The first Canadian to win any recognized major championship wasSandra Post,winner of the1968 LPGA Championship.From 1979 through 2000, the du Maurier Classic (now known as theCanadian Women's Open) was one of the LPGA's fourmajors.The most recent Canadian of either gender to win a major championship wasBrooke Henderson,who won the2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championshipand the2022 Evian Championship.

Tennis

[edit]
Bianca Andreescu in 2015

While tennis is not a huge sport in Canada, there have been several Canadian players who have had success in the last decade.Milos Raonicis regarded as one of the most successful Canadian male players in history. His career-high No. 3 ranking, as of November 21, 2016, is the highest ever ranking for a Canadian man. He is the first Canadian male in the Open Era to reach theAustralian Opensemi-finals (2016), theFrench Open(2014) quarterfinals, and theWimbledonfinal (2016). In women's singles,Eugenie Bouchardbecame the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach the final of aGrand Slamtournament in singles, finishing runner-up toPetra Kvitováat the2014 Wimbledon Championships.She also reached the semi-finals of the 2014 Australian Open and 2014 French Open. Later in the same year she received theWTA Most Improved Playeraward for the2014 seasonand reached a career-high ranking of No. 5, becoming the first Canadian female tennis player to be ranked in the top 5 in singles.

Canada has also had success in tennis during the late 2010s and into the 2020s with talents such asDenis ShapovalovandFélix Auger-Aliassime.On October 20, 2019, Shapovalov beatFilip Krajinovićin theStockholm Open,winning his firstATPtitle. Later, during the final event of the year, theParis Rolex Masters,Shapovalov secured a top 20-year end finish after reaching the semi-finals. He reached the final as well, but lost toNovak Djokovic6–3 6–4. He finished the season at a career high ranking of number 15. Auger-Aliassime reached a career high ATP singles ranking of No. 6 on November 7, 2022. Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov were centrepieces of Canada's firstDavis Cup-winningteamin2022.

Another notable men's player isDaniel Nestor,born in the former Yugoslavia but raised from early childhood in Toronto, who never broke into the top 50 in singles but was one of the greatest doubles players in history. During his long professional career (1991–2018), he won 91 ATP doubles titles (trailing only theBryan brothers) and 12 Grand Slam men's doubles events, an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles in 2000 withSébastien Lareau,and four titles at theATP Finals.He was also the first men's player to win all Slam andMastersevents, the ATP Finals, and an Olympic gold medal.

In recent women's tennis,Bianca Andreescuwon the2019 Rogers Cupin Toronto, where she defeated two current top-ten players inKiki BertensandKarolína Plíšková.In the final,Serena Williamsexperienced back spasms and was forced to retire while down 1–3 in the first set.[77]This gave Bianca her second WTA title, and a new career-high ranking of 14.[78]With the three top-ten wins at the tournament, she won her first seven matches against top-ten opponents.[77]At theUS Open,she reached her maiden Grand Slam final, where she defeated Serena Williams, becoming the first Canadian representing Canada to win a Grand Slam singles title.[79]

The largest tennis tournament held in Canada is theCanadian Open,also known as Rogers Cup, and is the second-oldest tournament in all of tennis (behind only Wimbledon). The Canadian Open's men's competition is aMasters 1000event on theATP tour.The women's competition is aWTA 1000event on theWomen's Tennis Association(WTA) tour. The competition is played on hard courts. The events alternate from year to year between the cities of Montreal and Toronto. Since 1980 in odd-numbered years the men's tournament is held in Montreal, while the women's tournament is held in Toronto, and vice versa in even-numbered years. Before 2011, they were held during separate weeks in the July–August period; now the two competitions are held during the same week in August. The Toronto tournament is held at theAviva Centreand the Montreal tournament is held at theIGA Stadium.

Motorsport

[edit]
Main article:Motorsport in Canada
The opening lap of the2015 Canadian Grand Prix.The auto race has been held since 1967.

TheCanadian Grand PrixFormula Oneauto race had been conducted every year since 1967, and since 1978 had been held at theCircuit Gilles Villeneuvein Montreal, apart from 1987 when a dispute arose between brewers Labatts and Molson over sponsorship, again in 2009 when the race was not on the FIA calendar for one year,[80]and most recently in 2020[81]and 2021[82]due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The track was named for Canada's first Grand Prix driver, the lateGilles Villeneuve,whose son,Jacques,won theFormula One World championshipin 1997.

Several Canadians have starred inAmerican Championship Car Racing,most notably Jacques Villeneuve, who won the 1995 CART championship andIndianapolis 500before moving to Formula One, andPaul Tracy,who captured the 2003 CART title and collected 31 race wins. Races were held inMont-TremblantandMosportroad courses and on street circuits inToronto,Montreal,VancouverandEdmonton.In 2008, Champ Car merged with its long-time rival, the Indy Racing League (since renamedINDYCAR), under the banner of the latter body's top series, theIndyCar Series.The Edmonton race was transferred over to the new series immediately, and the Toronto event was added for2009.

CASCAR(the Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) was the country's governing body for amateur and professionalstock carracing, and theCASCAR Super Serieswas the highest-level stock car racing series in the country. In 2006,NASCARpurchased CASCAR and rebranded the Super Series as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, now known as theNASCAR Pinty's Series;nevertheless, the series remains Canada's top-level stock car racing circuit. In 2007 theCastrol Canadian Touring Car Championshipwas formed. Because Canada is NASCAR's largest market outside the United States, NASCAR brought theNAPA Auto Parts 200Busch Series (nowXfinity Series) race to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2007.[83]The race remained on the schedule until being discontinued after the 2012 season. Beginning the next year, NASCAR brought theTruck Seriesto Mosport with theChevrolet Silverado 250.

Canadians have combined to win 53 races in American Championship Car Racing (Including 1 Indianapolis 500), 17 races in Formula 1 and 7 races in NASCAR's top 3 divisions (1 in theCup Series).

Rodeo

[edit]
Chuckwagon racingat the 2009 Calgary Stampede

TheCanadian Professional Rodeo Associationis the governing body that sanctions professional rodeo events in Canada. The most well-known event is at theCalgary Stampede,normally held annually in July, and theCanadian Finals Rodeo,the national championship rodeo, is held in November each year.

Shooting sports

[edit]
Main article:Shooting sports in Canada

Shooting sportsare a part of Canada's cultural heritage. Many Canadians enjoy participating in the various disciplines that make up this broad sport. In the past decade shooting sports in Canada have seen a major surge of popularity as more and more Canadians are applying for firearms licences.[84]

At the recreational level individuals and families can be found across the nation improving their marksmanship skills at various private and publicshooting ranges.Hunting is also a popular activity due to Canada's vast wilderness and pioneer past.[85]

At the competitive level, many Canadians train in Olympic events. There are also a variety of other competitive shooting sports that operate provincially, nationally and internationally through their respective organizations.

Multi-sport events

[edit]
Amateur athletes representing theirprovinces and territoriesduring the2017 Canada Games.

Majormulti-sport eventswith Canadian participation, or that have taken place in Canada, are the Olympic Games,Commonwealth Games,Canada Games,World Championships in Athletics,Pan American Games,and theUniversiade.Others include theNorth American Indigenous Games,theWorld Police and Fire Games,and theGay Games.

Canada Games

[edit]
Main article:Canada Games

The Canada Games is a high-levelmulti-sport eventwith held every two years in Canada, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. Athletes are strictly amateur only, and represent theirprovince or territory.Since their inception, the Canada Games have played a prominent role in developing some of Canada's premier athletes, includingLennox Lewis,Catriona Le May Doan,Hayley Wickenheiser,Sidney Crosby,Martin Brodeur,Steve Nash,Suzanne GaudetandDavid Ling.The Games were first held in 1967 inQuebec Cityas part of Canada's Centennial celebrations. Similar events are held on the provincial level, such as the annualBC Games.

Commonwealth Games

[edit]
Main article:Canada at the Commonwealth Games

Canada is one of only six nations to have attended every Commonwealth Games, and hosted thefirst ever British Empire Games in 1930inHamilton, Ontario.Canada also hosted the1954 British Empire and Commonwealth GamesinVancouver, British Columbia,the1978 Commonwealth GamesinEdmonton, Alberta,and the1994 Commonwealth GamesinVictoria, British Columbia.Canada ranks third in theall-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games.

Olympic Games

[edit]
Main articles:Canada at the Olympics,Canada at the Summer Olympics,andCanada at the Winter Olympics
See also:Canada at the Paralympics
TheCanadian men's national ice hockey teamcelebrates shortly after winning the gold medal final at the2010 Winter Olympics.

Canada has competed at every Olympic Games, except for thefirst games in 1896and theboycottedgames in 1980.Canada has previously hosted the games three times, at the1976 Summer Olympicsin Montreal, the1988 Winter Olympicsin Calgary, and the2010 Winter Olympicsin Vancouver.

At thesummer games,the majority of Canada's medals come from the sports ofathletics,aquatics(swimming,synchronized swimminganddiving),rowingandcanoeing/kayaking.In the post-boycott era (since1988), Canada's medal total ranks 19th in the world, with the highest rank of 11th in1992and the lowest of 24th in2000.

At thewinter games,Canada is usually one of the top nations in terms of medals won. Canada is traditionally strong in the sports of ice hockey,speed skating(especially theshort trackvariation),figure skatingand most of the national men's and women's curling teams have won medals since the sport was added to the Olympic program.

Because Canada failed to win anygold medalsat the 1976 Summer and 1988 Winter games, soon after Vancouver-Whistler was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics several organizations includingSport Canadaand theCanadian Olympic Committeebegan collaborations to launch "Own the Podium – 2010",a development program to help Canada earn the mostmedals at the 2010 Games.Canada did not win the most total medals at the Vancouver Olympics (they finished third, behind theUnited States,whose 37 total medals was the most of any country at a single Winter Olympics, andGermany,with 26), but did win the most gold medals, with 14, the most of any country at a single Winter Olympics.

TheNational Sport Schoolin Calgary, founded 1994, is the first Canadian high school designed exclusively for Olympic-calibre athletes.

Pan American Games

[edit]
Main article:Canada at the Pan American Games
Canada women's national basketball teamshortly after they were awarded the gold medal at the2015 Pan American Games.

Canada has participated in each of the Pan American Games since thesecond editionof the games, held in Mexico City in 1955. The fifth games took place in Winnipeg in1967,Canada's Centennial year. Winnipeg hosted again in1999.Toronto was selected as the host city for the2015 games,which was held in July 2015 in venues located in Toronto and severalsurrounding municipalities.[86]

Amateur sports

[edit]

Canadian athletes are world-ranked in many amateur sports. These include the 'winter' sports ofalpine skiing,cross-country skiing,figure skating,freestyle skiing,snowboarding,speed skating,ringette,biathlon,andcurling.In ice hockey, Canada supports national teams for both men and women in the under-20 and under-18 categories. In 'summer' sports, Canadians participate inrugby,soccer,disc ultimate,track and field among most sports presented in the Summer Olympics. There are sports federations for most sports in Canada. Funding for amateur athletics is provided by governments, private companies and individual citizens through donation. Organisations like the FANS Foundation additionally provide a pathway for under-18 newcomers for more amateur sports in Canada.

Media

[edit]

Major television broadcasters of sports in Canada includeCBC Television,Télévision de Radio-Canada,The Sports Network(TSN),Réseau des sports(RDS),Sportsnet,andThe Score.Aconsortiumled byCTVglobemediaoutbid CBC for the broadcast rights to the2010 Winter Olympicsand2012 Summer Olympics.Major national weekly sports broadcasts includeHockey Night in CanadaandFriday Night Football.There aresports radiostations in most major Canadian cities as well as onsatellite radio.

Sports rankings

[edit]
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball (WBSC World Rankings) 12[87] 3[87]
Basketball (FIBA World Rankings) 6[88] 4[89]
Cricket(ICC T20I) 20[90] 38[91]
Curling(WCF World Rankings) 1[92] 2[92]
Lacrosse([1]) 2[93] 2[93]
Soccer (FIFA World Rankings
andFIFA Women's World Rankings)		 38[94] 6[95]
Ice hockey(IIHF World Ranking) 1[96] 2[97]
Rugby league(RLIF World Rankings) 17[98] –
Rugby union(World Rugby Rankings) 22[99] 4[100]
Tennis (ITF rankings) 15 14
Ultimate(WFDF World Rankings) 2 3
Volleyball (FIVB World Rankings) 10[101] 18[102]

(Rankings current as of February 10, 2022)

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^Freeman was born and raised in California, but both of his parents were born in Canada, giving him dual Canada–U.S. citizenship from birth.

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Further reading

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