It's crazy in Toronto: (Re-post from Group forum)

I am staying in Little Italy (College street in Toronto) for another week before moving back to Vancouver. last night I was rudely awaken from my nap when the Portugese moved up from Dundas to invade College and proceeded to clog up the area with hundreds of cars and crazy flag waving soccer fans. Today I can hear the drums and horns as the Italians are preparing their response. This is ground zero for World Cup Football in Canada. What an incredible experience. Every bar and restaurant is hanging on every minute of WC action. This is the best WC for me since 98. Next to being in Europe, this has to be one of the best places in the world right now to watch the games. Representation from every country in the world, and sometimes in huge numbers. I even see T&T flags all over the place. I am little sorry to be leaving town before the final because it's going to be a massive celebration no matter who the victor is.

I agree with you that Toronto is probably one of the best places in the world to watch the World Cup. I was there during World Cup 98, and it was just electric walking through the streets, and seeing all the flags and fans. I'm going to be in Montreal for the final, and I cannot wait, because I know that city will be excited about it as well.

It was totally mad at my local pub yesterday morning, over 200 Netherlands' supporters out in orange cheering on Robben and the boys.

And now the party starts.I'm getting out of here before it gets too crazy. The drums and air horns are giving me a headache. Not a bad game by Ghana.

:yo:


can't wait to honk and wave my brasilian flag tomorrow... granted it will be in london but still.


Toronto is great for the world cup... very multi cultural.

It's probably not quite like Toronto(I've only been to Hogtown once, for a hockey trip in 1999), but Boston is a pretty good World Cup city, especially for Brazilian, Italian, English, US and Irish fans(although Ireland didn't make the final cut this time). I used to work in Framingham, Mass., which is heavily Brazilian, and have been in my share of post-game traffic celebrations, one of which is probably taking place as I type.:banana:

http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=142529

Although I would imagine Toronto is an amazing epicentre for this activity, I was just in Vancouver this past weekend and found a surprisingly strong World Cup buzz. Pubs, restaurants and bars all over the place were lively and featured World Cup schedules and events. A far FAR greater buzz than what exists for the Oilers or the Stanley Cup in general. I believe it was Saturday where a number of loud honking Mexico fans poured down Commercial Drive after their victory over Iran. Quite a neat environment. Soccer in this country may be a dormant social force, but the potential is surely there and easily seen in the cultural mosaics that are Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

Steps of Rome Cafe in SF.....went utterly insane when Italy won :)

Euro Cup was BANANAS!!! :banana:
Toronto is a great sports town

There's several parts of San Bernardino where people are going nuts over Mexico or Korea. Certainly not like Toronto during Euro 2004, but I've seen my share of cars painted in Mexican and Korean colors just for the World Cup.

If a visitor to Toronto and Montreal come to either city expecting massive Canada Day celebrations, they will be mistaken! I can't believe Italy and Portugal are both playing on Canada Day weekend. Those two countries have massive support in Toronto and Montreal, and you can bet that you'll see more of those flags than the Canadian one come Saturday

Following on from a point made in the original post:

Forget 98, for me this is the best World Cup in history. So many goals, so many great games and so so much entertainment, and most importantly - the best is still to come!

1986 for me easily.
Best WC I've ever seen.

I don't even want to imagine Toronto, if India or China had strong soccer programs.

I don't even want to imagine Toronto, if India or China had strong soccer programs.

Lots of curly toe shoes and puppy snacks?

:sarcasm:

1986 for me easily.
Best WC I've ever seen.

That's running a close second for me. I don't just count the football in this though, i count the public reaction and all. According to all sources, England was nothing like it is now back then (does that make sense?). Red and white is everywhere in my town, it's beautiful to see. The TV coverage is 10x better and the football is of a higher standard too. The whole package in 2006 is a massive improvement over 1986 for me.

I think football was never better than in 86.
Best WC goal ever (Maradona), arguably best game ever (Brazil vs France) and possibly best final ever.

Toronto is the best soccer city in NA, they have even been referenced by one of the english announcers during one of the group games (cant remember which one). Dick Howard also says by far Toronto is the best soccer city in NA. I know I may be biased but the Portuguese have the biggest party.....we tend to shut down Dundas, College, St.Clair and make it nearly impossible to drive through Dufferin and Ossington. Brazillians make College very lively with their samba sounds and the Italians tend to pack College and St. Clair. Their is also a large amount of Equadorian, Argentinian, English, Dutch, Korean and French supporters. Toronto is a great city during Euro and World Cup time.

Back in 1982, there was over 100,000 Italian people on St. Clair....it was mayhem!

Back in 1982, there was over 100,000 Italian people on St. Clair....it was mayhem!


This year there will be more:yo: :yo:

FORZA ITALIA

If the Italians and Portuguese meet in the final or even the third place game all hell is gonna break loose

If the Italians and Portuguese meet in the final or even the third place game all hell is gonna break loose

If they lose today, I could care less about third place.

If the Italians and Portuguese meet in the final or even the third place game all hell is gonna break loose

I'll take it one step further, 2036 World Cup - imagine a final four of India, China, Italy and Portugal.

Toronto would have to shut down for two days.

Of course, India isn't likely to qualify for a World Cup in the next 30 years, the Chinese on the other hand just might.

Toronto is the best soccer city in NA, they have even been referenced by one of the english announcers during one of the group games (cant remember which one). Dick Howard also says by far Toronto is the best soccer city in NA. I know I may be biased but the Portuguese have the biggest party.....we tend to shut down Dundas, College, St.Clair and make it nearly impossible to drive through Dufferin and Ossington. Brazillians make College very lively with their samba sounds and the Italians tend to pack College and St. Clair. Their is also a large amount of Equadorian, Argentinian, English, Dutch, Korean and French supporters. Toronto is a great city during Euro and World Cup time.

Toronto is the best soccer city like it's also the best Hockey city. The people love it when it's fashionable, but anything other than that - meh. Ask anyone to support the local game or, god-forbid, the Canadian National team, and they all shrug indifference.

Toronto is the best soccer city like it's also the best Hockey city. The people love it when it's fashionable, but anything other than that - meh. Ask anyone to support the local game or, god-forbid, the Canadian National team, and they all shrug indifference.


I guess that 2400 average attendance in a crumbling 3000 seat stadium is a sure sign of that.

I guess that 2400 average attendance in a crumbling 3000 seat stadium is a sure sign of that.

The Lynx are a disgrace. They play out in the middle of no-where and their marketing is totally lost. But there was a time, before they moved to Centennial, where the product was solid and, playing out of Varsity, the team was right on the Subway line in a quality stadium (and one with some history, no less). But even then there was little in the way of interest. Much of that had to do with the lack of media coverage, but (and I know this since I worked for the team) a large problem was just the attitude that A-league soccer wasn't good enough for many of the European soccer fans. It's unfortunate because if they had bothered to come out they would have had the chance to see the likes of Stalteri (Werder Bremen and Tottenham starter), Dwayne DeRosario (MLS star and two time goal of the year recipient), and large number of future Canadian internationals such as Onstad, Hutchinson, Pozniak, Reda, and Serioux (all of whom are now playing in Europe).

Montreal gets terrific support for their A-league team. So do the Whitecaps in Vancouver. If Toronto is such a great soccer town, why can't it garner the same amount of interest in a market twice the size?

Canadian national team games are harder to judge since the CSA has done such a poor job of scheduling games in the GTA as of late (or anywhere in Canada). But in the past, the trend has been that the fans who do show up do so to cheer against Canada.

We'll see how the MLS team does. I'm quietly optimistic since the impression I get is that a lot of fans in the city are genuinely excited about the team and are committed to jumping on board. If Toronto FC is a success, I'll take back everything and give Torontonians their due. If it doesn't, then there wil be no doubt left that Toronto is no such "soccer town."

St. Clair is absolutely packed and crazy with Italian fans. Party time in T.O for Azzurri lovers. Big party from now until Sunday.

Hopefully another party will start a little further south tomorrow.;)

St. Clair is absolutely packed and crazy with Italian fans. Party time in T.O for Azzurri lovers. Big party from now until Sunday.

Hopefully another party will start a little further south tomorrow.;)

Well I have to say that I am sad to be back in vancouver for this one reason. I felt like Grace and College was a war zone waiting to happen and would have liked to see it through. Here's hoping........:banghead: