Type “world’s most popular sport” into your favourite search engine, and it will probably tell you that soccer, or association football, has 3.5 billion fans.
Next, ask “how many people play soccer?” and a stat from FIFA might come up referencing the 265 million players around the world involved in the sport.
It’s safe to say that the majority of the world loves soccer, but what’s happening in Canada? We’ve long struck an allegiance to the cold, and sometimes cruel, sport of hockey, which makes sense, considering we’re always the best at it. However, the underdog sport that is soccer has started to build momentum in the Great White North. These days, there is a plethora of stats online comparing the participation numbers of soccer and hockey, with the beautiful game coming out on top. That’s some major progress.
Soccer in Canada has been growing as a silent majority for a while, and yet, no one’s really talking about it. But, why would we? On an international level – aside from our Women’s National Team’s recent success at the World Cup and the Olympics, and our Men’s Team’s appearance in the 1986 World Cup – Canada has never been a real force in the world of football. We just don’t stack up against the heavyweights like Brazil and England, nor do we compare to our North American counterparts, USA and Mexico.
Even so, our country’s soccer fans always find something to cheer for; and our talented players always find something to play for.
Now, with three Canadian clubs in Major League Soccer, and more Canadians playing and watching the sport than ever before, we think it’s high time Canada took soccer seriously.
We’re pleased to introduce MAJOR; a Canadian soccer zine dedicated to showcasing soccer culture in Vancouver and Canada. MAJOR will uncover Canada’s passion for soccer through thoughtful aesthetics and the power of print.
The free, first issue – from Spring 2017 – does just that. Issue one will bring you up to speed on Vancouver’s current Whitecaps FC supporter culture, using a neatly curated photo essay, following the club’s supporters’ groups through their match-day rituals. An illustration in the middle of the zine dives into Vancouver’s history with the sport, dating back to the 1970’s; while a second photo essay captures Mother Nature’s powerful influence over the 2016/2017 amateur soccer season. Rounding out this inaugural issue is a feature on a local Vancouver club that’s doing things a little different, plus, a story on Canada’s most secret soccer hero.
MAJOR marks the end of soccer’s minor status in Canada. We hope you enjoy reading the zine as much as we enjoyed putting it together. To learn more about MAJOR, read it online, or to find a copy near you, go to majorzine.com.
