Canada’s Niko Sigur, second from left, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during an international friendly soccer match between Romania and Canada at the National Arena stadium in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio celebrates after an international friendly soccer match between Romania and Canada at the National Arena stadium in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Canada’s Niko Sigur, second from left, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during an international friendly soccer match between Romania and Canada at the National Arena stadium in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Canada Soccer is looking to raise $25 million by 2027 to help grow the sport in Canada.
The vehicle is Canada Rising, a new Canada Soccer Foundation campaign whose proceeds go to “the national team system, coaching excellence and youth-facing programming to help increase access to soccer.”
The governing body says it has already secured more than $11 million in gifts and commitments.
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That includes more than $1.5 million from memberships in the revamped CanadaRed supporters program. The multi-tiered plan, ranging in cost from free to $5,000 a year, offers access to Canada’s allotment of tickets to the Canadian matches at the 2026 World Cup.
The more expensive the memberships, the more chances of getting tickets through a draw.
Canada Soccer says the money raised from CanadaRed “enhances funding for our national team system, helps support the growth and education of Canadian coaches, and provides additional funding for programs that increase accessibility to youth soccer.”
More than 77,000 Canadians have joined CanadaRed since it was relaunched in late July.
Canada Soccer reported revenue of $37.6 million for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024, with some $14.4 million of that coming from FIFA, CONCACAF and government grants. It spent $21.1 million of that revenue on its national teams.
Canada Soccer finished the year some $4 million in the red.
Major donor gifts go to the Canada Soccer Foundation, a separately incorporated charitable foundation governed by its own board of directors separate from that of Canada Soccer.
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The governing body says the two-tiered system “mirrors best practices seen in the U.S. and Canada.”
“It provides additional oversight for donor funds and enables more people with different skills and connections to be involved in supporting soccer,” Canada Soccer said in a statement.Â
In March, Rugby Canada launched its own fundraising initiative ahead of the ongoing Women’s World Cup in England. “Mission: Win Rugby World Cup 2025” has since raised some 95 per cent of its $1-million goal, the shortfall Rugby Canada identified in costing out its tournament preparation.
The second-ranked Canadians take on No. 3 New Zealand in Friday’s World Cup semifinal in Bristol.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2025.
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