208,000 Tickets Sold
That is how many tickets have been sold to the 2007 U20 World Cup in Canada since tickets went on sale 12 days ago. This is 40% of the 520,000 target set by the organizing committee.
If the target is met, it would break the record for the largest single-sport sporting event ever held in Canada. Pretty impressive considering Canada has hosted both the summer (1976 Montreal) and winter Olympics (1988 Calgary).
Needless to say, selling 200,000 tickets to any event in 12 days is pretty impressive and speaks volumes to the interest in high level soccer here in Canada. Combined with the new MLS franchise in Toronto and record TV ratings in Canada for the 2006 World Cup and you have to get the feeling that the popularity of soccer in Canada is at an all time high.
Now would be a good time to reflect back to another soccer high for our nation, our one and only appearance in the World Cup – Mexico 1986. Actually, after watching this 10 minute video documentary from the CBC, you have to wonder if that was a high, or a low point for Canadian soccer. What if you threw a parade and no one came?
