Brampton produces six of Canada's men's World Cup soccer players; what's the secret?

Six of Canada's men's World Cup squad grew up in Brampton—and all of them played at Brampton Soccer Club at some point in their youth. The group includes Promise David, Liam Millar, Cyle Larin, Jayden Nelson, Tajon Buchanan, and Jonathan Osorio.

Brampton's soccer star power extends beyond the senior team. The city is also the hometown of former Team Canada captain Atiba Hutchinson and Olympic gold medalists in women's soccer Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan.

Executive director of Brampton Soccer Club Paula Phillips credits the club's role in sparking interest in the sport. "This is where they started, this is where that interest got sparked," she said. The World Cup has intensified that effect—the club extended outdoor league registration by a week to handle the surge in sign-ups.

Promise David, who played for Canada in the tournament, pointed to local infrastructure as key to his development. "What allowed me to continue playing football was the infrastructure around football," he said. "Tournaments, the OFSAA (Ontario Students Federation of School Athletics), the introduction of a new soccer center." The Brampton Soccer Centre, revitalized in 2020, features seven indoor and outdoor multisport fields, a professional-sized turf field, an indoor dome for year-round play, and upgraded facilities.

Mayor Patrick Brown credits both the facility and strong recreational and competitive leagues that push players to excellence. The city's youth are now inspired by homegrown heroes. Phillips visited every public World Cup watch party in Brampton to connect with families inspired by Team Canada's run. "They find out where the players started, and it's like, 'Oh, wow, they played U4 too?' Yep, they played House League," she said.