Move over hockey, soccer’s taking center stage in March.
It doesn’t matter that it’s too cold to play the beautiful game outdoors. Aside from the Toronto Raptors having their best season, it’s about a sport having meaningful action at the club and national levels.
March has traditionally been a month where most Canadian NHL teams are in the heat of battle for playoff spots, but this year’s totally different. It'll be the first time since 1970 that no Canadian teams make the playoffs. This unusual phenomenon has all kinds of implications, one being opening the door for soccer.
While most fans won’t abandon their hockey allegiances, they still love a winner. The Canadian NHL teams haven’t been that this year. Fans have more to gain from seeing telling action on the pitch instead of veiled tanking on the ice.
MLS kicked off for Canada’s three improving teams, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC, and Montreal Impact on Sunday. But the men’s national team will play the most anticipated soccer this month in its bid to reach the 2018 World Cup.
Canada beat Honduras, tied El Salvador and now faces the top team in the region and perennial World Cup participant Mexico twice in five days—in Vancouver on the 25th and in Mexico on the 29th. Over 40,000 tickets have already been sold for B.C. Place.
