Toronto, the World Cup, and the City’s Summer of Renewal
“Toronto is well known for being a bit nonchalant about these things until they actually happen. I saw it with the Pan Am (Games in 2015) which happened during my time, and I'm seeing it a bit here now, compared to some other places. But it's going to be great, and it always was going to be great, and we'll be very glad we did it.”
- Former Toronto Mayor John Tory, speaking to PSP Media about the 2026 World Cup in Toronto
As mayor of Toronto, John Tory was influential in bringing the world’s biggest sporting event to Canada’s most populated city. He also had to lead the city through the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic. Toronto still bears the emotional aftershocks of the pandemic. However, from empty sidewalks to packed terraces, Toronto is poised for a summer of rebirth, with the beautiful game as its centerpiece.
Northern Super League: Football, Family, and the Mother’s Day That Binds Them
For Matheson, the matriarch of the NSL, the second Sunday in May has personal resonance. This summer, Matheson and her partner, Anastasia Bucsis, are expecting their first child. There is a parallel between nurturing a family and nurturing a league.
Both Matheson and Bucsis are Canadian Olympic alumni in soccer and speedskating respectively - an elite household. However, things may have been different if Matheson had become a mother during her playing career (2005-20). She may not have been entitled to the level of benefits that current Women’s National Team players will receive under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement signed with Canada Soccer on 31 March 2026 (effective from 1 June 2024).