*By Michael Teich*
A soccer revolution is to coming to Canada as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and launch the Canadian Premier League.
"It’s not about selling tickets, or putting on a sporting event. It’s about creating a movement,” Canadian Premier League commissioner David Clanachan said in an interview with Cheddar.
The CPL's inaugural season will kick off with 8 clubs, and Clanachan said the league is in talks with 24 different cities and regions for starting new teams. The commissioner is confident the pro league will create a "pathway" for young Canadians to be able to play at the national team level.
“We are a soccer playing nation. More than 14% of the population play soccer on a weekly basis, which is unusual for a western country.”
But despite that, Canada's only World Cup appearance came in 1986. Clanachan hopes building a professional league powered by Canadian players and coaches will help elevate the sport's presence in the country.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/canada-makes-a-push-for-soccer-relevancy-2).
Saudi Arabia became the only country to enter a bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup after Australia backed out, claiming they were focusing on other major sporting events.
Global governing body of soccer FIFA banned ex-Spanish Federation president Luis Rubiales for misconduct following backlash over his kiss of a top Spanish soccer player following the women's World Cup in August.
Pieter Vanerman, CEO of Spin, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ping-pong franchise, which has nine locations around the U.S. and two in New York City, and also dived into how the business operates, showed what's on the menu and what you can expect when you visit.
Texas Rangers (90-72, second in the AL West during the regular season) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (84-78, second in the NL West during the regular season).
The Arizona Diamondbacks advanced to the World Series for the first time in 22 years by stunning the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Arizona next plays the Texas Rangers in the Fall Classic.
