By Canadian Press

Marsch challenges Vancouver soccer fans to show up for Canada’s Gold Cup opener

Jun 11, 2025 | 9:01 AM

TORONTO — Coach Jesse Marsch has a message for Vancouver ahead of Canada’s Gold Cup opener against Honduras next week: We need your support.

Canada is coming off a trophy-winning performance at the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto, where the 30th-ranked Canadian men defeated No. 25 Ukraine 4-2 and lost a 5-4 penalty shootout to No. 41 Ivory Coast after the game finished tied 0-0 after 90 minutes.

Marsch says the four-team tournament, played out as two doubleheaders with No. 86 New Zealand the other entry at BMO Field, served its purpose.

“I’m excited for the Gold Cup … We can take this experience. The games will be different in the Gold Cup. But I think we’ll be able to say, ‘Look, that was a big experience. We came out on top. We won the trophy. It’s another step in our overall progress, and now we’re ready for the next biggest challenge. And we want to win that trophy.'”

But attendance was disappointing, considering the tournament took place a year before kickoff of the 2026 World Cup. And given that there are more than 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, the visiting Ukraine team was seen as a draw.

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Saturday’s matinee against Ukraine drew an announced crowd of 20,145, while Tuesday’s evening game drew 18,489. With the World Cup approaching, the crowds — while enthusiastic — were hardly bumper.

Marsch wants to improve on that number next Tuesday when Canada opens against No. 75 Honduras at B.C. Place Stadium.

Toronto and Vancouver are Canada’s two World Cup host cities, with 13 games between them at next year’s soccer showcase, including all three of Canada’s group games.

“Obviously, I think, the entire vibe around the World Cup will be very different,” Marsch said after Tuesday’s game. “I do think this team deserves the Canadian community’s attention. I think they’re showing that it’s a good team, there’s a lot of good players here, there’s a lot of entertaining players.”

Marsch said he understood the challenges the new Toronto tournament faced, with the final doubleheader on a Tuesday night.

“I thought the crowd on Saturday was good, but I was hoping for bigger,” said Marsch, who has only played four of his 17 games in charge on Canadian soil.

There was also some discussion at tournament organizer MLSE over ticket pricing and doubleheaders, he added.

“But certainly I hope that going to Vancouver for a meaningful match against Honduras, I really want to challenge that community to come out and support this team and be behind the movement in every way,” Marsch said. “So I’m hopeful that in Vancouver we can sell that stadium out, get close to selling that stadium out. Come on, come out and support the team, that’s what I would say to the community.”

After Vancouver, Canada heads to Houston to complete Group B play against No. 90 Curaçao and No. 81 El Salvador on June 21 and 24, respectively.

Marsch will have to sit out the first two games of the tournament due to suspension after being sent off at the CONCACAF Nations League third-place game in March.

The plight of struggling Toronto FC has not helped soccer in the city. Once a shining example of fan support in Major League Soccer, the franchise has not made the playoffs since 2020 and currently ranks 16th out of 30 teams in attendance, averaging 19,723 per game.

That’s down from an average of 27,647 in the 2017 championship season and 25,681 last year.

Poor weather and a poor record (3-10-4, 28th overall in the league) have not helped TFC’s cause.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press