The World Cup was a financial flop – but a civic triumph

Christopher Hume –

What, exactly, will be the lega­cy of the World Cup in Toronto? It’s still early days, but already we know it won’t be financially positive.

Despite the brave talk, the FIFA blowout was an economic disaster; it cost the federal, pro­vincial and municipal govern­ments a staggering $1 billion. That was for a mere 13 games, seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto. Contrary to expecta­tions, hotel bookings were actu­ally down and fewer soccer fans showed up than anticipated. By any measure this could only be considered a dud.

Hang on, say proponents, the event was worth the price be­cause it raised the profiles of the two participating centres. It put them on the world map; count­less millions around the globe viewed these cities on televi­sion and, promoters insist, loved what they saw.

Fair enough, but in truth most of the world has long been aware of Toronto and Vancouver. Even better, both are widely admired and regularly rank among the planet’s most liveable cities. From that perspective, it’s un­likely the World Cup changed anything. At best, it confirmed what many already thought.

But, but, but…Soccer types will insist that the massive shin­dig was justified because it will raise the popularity of soccer (or as Europeans call it, football) across Canada. Inspired by the likes of greats such as Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, they argue, kids everywhere will suddenly take to the pitch hoping to become rich and fa­mous stars.

Perhaps, but don’t hold your breath; Canada remains a hock­ey culture. Basketball is the only sport that has come close to challenging its historic su­premacy. In this country, soccer is child’s play.

And yet, for Toronto, the value of the exercise was enormous. Keep in mind that we are a city of immigrants; indeed, Canada is a country of immigrants. The overwhelming strength of the city and country lies in our abil­ity to integrate people from all corners of the planet.

This may not sound like much but it is a quality worth celebrat­ing. Look no further than Don­ald Trump’s America to see what can happen when immigrants are not just unwelcome but de­monized, attacked and rounded up. In recent years, the United States and much of Europe have turned against migrants – now considered “aliens” – with bra­zen, even fatal, brutality.

As shocking as it is, the vio­lence unleashed by Trump in the Land of the Free has affected (infected?) Canada. Inevitably, since the 1960s and 70s when they were opened up, our im­migration policies have grown markedly less generous. But without immigrants, the Toron­to we inhabit today would be a pale shadow of its current self. Because of immigration, a city once cold, bland, repressed and suspicious of the outside world became home to an extraordi­nary mix of races, religions, languages and cultures. Though not without its difficulties, To­ronto has become a model, even a beacon, of tolerance and open-mindedness.

These qualities have been se­verely tested in recent years, but the World Cup was a powerful sign that no matter where the teams came from – Cote d’Ivo­ire or Panama, Qatar or Sene­gal – local residents cheered for them. Each squad represented a segment of community. In a city of immigrants, that’s no sur­prise but a sign of strong civic health, a timely affirmation that Toronto belongs to everyone.

Whether or not this is the most diverse city in the world doesn’t matter; the point is that many Canadians have chosen to live here. They are Canadians by choice, not accident of birth. Canadians want to be Canadian.

Though dismissed by some, the argument that Canada is the quintessential “post-modern” state deserves reconsideration. Canadians have long rejected the primitive heart-on-sleeve patriotism practised by Amer­icans, but the advent of Trump has breathed new life into the idea of a society based on some­thing other than blood, shared history and foundational my­thology.

Canada has moved beyond traditional notions of ethnicity, cultural conformity and nation­alist identity. It is based on a more civic approach to accom­modation, citizenship, identity and, yes, international soccer tournaments. As the World Cup reminded us, in Toronto, no matter wh