Canadian World Cup TV ratings crush Stanley Cup Final

Canada's FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina drew more than double the Canadian television audience of the Stanley Cup Final, marking a rare moment when soccer outpaced hockey in the country.

According to broadcaster Bill Brioux, 3.9 million Canadians tuned into Canada's World Cup match in Toronto on TSN and CTV on Friday, June 12, while 1.8 million watched the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 on Sportsnet and CBC on Sunday, June 14. Streaming numbers were not included.

This year's Stanley Cup Final lacked the Canadian appeal of recent years. Neither the Golden Knights nor the Hurricanes have as big a draw for Canadian fans, and the matchup had no obvious team to cheer for. The Edmonton Oilers provided national intrigue in both the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, but this year's contest simply didn't resonate as much in the country.

Canada's World Cup spectacle, combined with national pride and the opportunity to witness sporting history for the country, offered an easy outlet. Canada's opener ended in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, giving Canada its first-ever World Cup point.

Other group-stage games also drew strong viewership: Brazil vs. Morocco (2.33 million), Haiti vs. Scotland (1.97 million), Netherlands vs. Japan (1.86 million), Germany vs. Curaçao (1.58 million), Australia vs. Türkiye (1.47 million), and Qatar vs. Switzerland (1.37 million). Canada has two more group-stage matches ahead, with the next coming Thursday, June 18, against Qatar in Vancouver.