Hockey still rules in Canada despite heightened visibility of FIFA World Cup: survey

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Or sign-in if you have an account.Hockey rules in Canada, especially Quebec, despite the heightened profile of soccer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photo shows Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA wearing a Montreal Canadiens hockey jersey in front of a giant soccer ball on display in Ottawa back in May. Photo by HYUNGCHEOL PARK /PostmediaHockey is still king in Canada despite the relative success of the national soccer team in this year’s FIFA World Cup, as well as the increased profile of Toronto and Vancouver as hosts of several games.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERSEnjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThis is the conclusion shown by a Leger survey conducted for the Association of Canadian Studies, which sought to understand whether the heightened visibility of the World Cup has had an impact on Canadian sports preferences.The findings from the July 10-12 survey suggest that hockey has a firm place at the top of the country’s favorite sport hierarchy. Though, soccer is establishing a firm foothold, says Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the association.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againHockey rules fairly evenly among men and woman, according to the survey. It rates highest among Canadians 18-24 (43 per cent), somewhat less among other age groups.“Sports preferences likely become more diversified after age 25,” says Jedwab. “Hockey remains the leading choice, but Canadians between 25 and 44 appear more likely to divide their attention among soccer, basketball, baseball and football. In part, this reflects more exposure to a wider range of professional sports and international competitions.”Soccer scores much less, 13 per cent among younger Canadians and less than that among all other age groups ranging from 24 to 65 years of age and older.“The higher result (for soccer) among 18-to-24-year-olds,” says Jedwab, “may reflect renewed interest generated by the World Cup and Canada’s participation and the link between playing a sport and watching it, which is more common in the younger cohorts.”Hockey is far more dominant in all parts of the country except Ontario: 36 per cent in Atlantic Canada, 45 per cent in Quebec, 40 per cent in Manitoba/Sask/Alta, 37 per cent in B.C. In Ontario, where there is “a more diverse menu” of available sports, says Jedwab, its popularity falls to 29 per cent.“Ontario’s more varied sports preferences likely reflect both its demographic diversity and higher rate of first- and second-generation families as well as the larger number of professional sports teams. Residents have significant exposure to hockey, baseball, basketball, football and soccer, and many Ontarians come from cultural backgrounds where sports other than hockey are traditionally more prominent.”In Quebec, hockey tops the heap, whereas baseball resonates more with English Canadians. Soccer is strongest among Canadian whose first language is something other than French or English. The presence of the Blue Jays in Toronto makes baseball far more popular in Ontario than elsewhere in Canada, suggests Jedwab.There appears to be a difference influenced by the level of education, suggests the data. For Canadians with a high school diploma, hockey rates 41 per cent. For college grads it’s 37 per cent. For those with a university degree, hockey falls to 31 per cent. Almost the reverse is true for soccer, though at lower numbers: 12 per cent for university graduates, 6 per cent for college grads, and 7 per cent for those with a high school diploma.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.University-educated Canadians are more likely to live in large, diverse urban centres, says Jedwab, where they have greater exposure to international sports, particularly soccer and basketball.“Higher education may therefore be acting less as a direct cause than as a predictor of urban residence, immigration, cultural diversity and broader media consumption.”He also notes that it’s “interesting” the data shows Canadians in higher income groups, those making $80-99,000 and $100,000 or more, are most likely to follow sports.The survey was conducted with 1,505 respondents in Canada. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1505 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.