*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).
Omar Raja, the founder of Bleacher Report's House of Highlights Instagram, said social media is "a young person's television," and that professional sports leagues have been reaching out to him to help them bolster the audience for live sports.
These are the headlines you Need2Know.
These are the headlines you Need2Know.
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