The date Friday, June 12, 2026 - 7 years less a day from the Toronto Raptors NBA title clinching win - will be the next marker in Canadian sports history, the answer to a trivia question, and undoubtedly, a day that hundreds of thousands of people in the country will never forget.
At 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time that day, a FIFA World Cup match will be played on Canadian soil for the first time, specifically at Toronto Stadium (the FIFA name for what is known as BMO Field).
Of course, it’s not just the majesty of a World Cup game in Toronto but the fact that Canada will be playing, and will be expected to compete and win. Only twice before has Canada played in the World Cup - in 1986 and 2022 - and it has never won or drawn a game. Its all-time record is 0-6, with only two goals scored, and even one of those was an own goal scored by Morocco in ‘22 at the World Cup in Qatar.
Now ranked 30th in the world, Canada will face 65th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in an epic moment in Canadian sports history. The pressure will be on the squad to perform on home turf, and on hundreds of millions of screens across the world.
But for the team members, while the moment and spectacle will be the realization of a dream, the reality remains what it is. They must play soccer to the best of their abilities. This is their profession, and many Canadians now have been successful internationally, especially financially.
So who are the five best paid Canadians who will represent the country in the World Cup?
ALPHONSO DAVIES
The consensus best Canadian player now, and probably ever, Davies was born a Liberian refugee in Ghana and moved with his family to Edmonton as a 5-year old.
He now earns an estimated CDN $29,000,000 per year playing for Bayern Munich in Bundesliga, the top league in Germany. He re-upped with the dominant German team in February, 2025 and is under contract at that salary until 2030.
According to transfermarkt.com, his current market value is close to $74.4 million but that’s down from $148M in 2020. A dynamic World Cup performance would certainly boost his perceived value, both as an international star and in Munich. He is the only Canadian goal scorer in the history of the event. If the Canadian team is to have any success, his role will be paramount, however, he has been suffering from a hamstring injury this year and his fitness to play is questionable. National team coach Jesse Marsch recently told reporters he didn’t think Davies would be ready for the game on June 12, though he expects him to play in the tournament.
JONATHAN DAVID
According to Capology.com, David earns CDN $20.7M per season with bonuses that could total close to another $7 million. This is part of a 5-year contract he signed with Juventus of Serie A in Italy.
Born in New York City of Haitian descent, David grew up playing soccer in the Ottawa area. Playing for Canada since he was 18 years old, he has scored 39 Goals in 75 games for the country, making him the all-time leading scorer.
A highly marketable face in world football, David appears in a Michelob Ultra commercial with Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, and of 2022 World Cup champion Argentina.
He is not having an outstanding campaign with Juventus and Internet reports state he may be on the transfer block, potentially to the Premier League in England. A solid World Cup performance could restore his standing internationally, and could lead to further future riches. With Davies less than 100%, this could be David’s most important opportunity to rise to the occasion.
TAJON BUCHANAN
A veteran of the 2022 World Cup campaign, with 58 caps and 8 goals under his belt for Canada, the midfielder reportedly earns CDN $5.8 million a year for Villarreal of La Liga in Spain. Transfermarkt.com estimates his market value soaring to nearly $22.3M, which ranks him 5th among all Canadian internationals.
The 27-year old began his youth career in Brampton, Ontario and eventually spent two years at the University of Syracuse before moving on to Major League Soccer. He’s been playing in Europe since 2021.
TANI OLUWASEYI
Born in Nigeria, he moved with his family to Mississauga, Ontario at age 10. His professional career began with Manhattan SC in the US League 2 when he was 21. This came after three years at nearby St. John’s University where he scored 21 goals.
Five years later he is earning a reported CDN $4,658,000 per year playing at Villarreal alongside his Canadian teammate Buchanan.
He was the 17th overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft in 2022, going to Minnesota United. After four seasons with the club he moved on to Spain. He began playing with the Canadian national team in 2024 and has registered two goals in 22 appearances. A strong performance in the World Cup would elevate the country’s hopes and enhance his already bright prospects in international football.
STEPHEN EUSTAQUIO
Presently playing on loan for a star-studded Los Angeles FC in MLS, Eustaquio began playing in his hometown Leamington, Ontario before moving to Portugal as a 7-year-old. He has mostly played professionally in Portugal, with a quick stop in Mexico, and joined the Canadian national team in 2019 after a couple years with the Portuguese Under-21 team.
He is presently earning approximately CDN $3,350,000, making him the 5th highest paid Canadian pro. The 29-year-old’s market value is $13M according to transfermarkt.com.
Canada’s FIFA World Cup roster will be revealed Friday, May 29 at 7:00 pm on Crave, CTV, TSN, RDS, TSN.ca and the TSN App.
Follow Dan Gladman on Instagram and Blue Sky: @dgontheroad
