Source:REUTERS/Anne-Marie Sorvin
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, with Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for three consecutive editions, Canada Soccer has called on Italian fans within the country to support the Canadian men’s national football team and is offering free jersey exchanges.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time on April 4th, Canada Soccer provided fans with a free swap: exchanging Italian jerseys for Canadian ones outside Café Diplomatico on College Street in Toronto. A video circulating on social media shows the event received an enthusiastic response, with large crowds of fans lining up on the street to exchange their jerseys. A black truck parked beside the queue featured images of Canadian national team jerseys with the message: “We need your passion. This time, wear red.” In the footage, one fan handed a blue children’s Italy jersey to a volunteer, who gave them a red Canadian jersey in return.
The editor believes that as one of the three host countries, Canada has automatically qualified for this summer’s World Cup. Their opening match will be on June 12th against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the team that eliminated Italy. Now, host nation Canada is reaching out to Italian fans in Toronto, calling on them to “don’t wait another four years” and join the 2026 World Cup hype right away.