What to know
- Canada and Bosnia finished with a draw in their Men’s World Cup game at Toronto Fan Fest.
- Canada scored its first-ever goal in Men’s World Cup history.
- The post-match atmosphere shifted when a message by Doug Ford appeared on the big screen.
- The crowd responded with loud boos, momentarily uniting fans from both sides.
The Canada-Bosnia World Cup match ended in a draw, but one thing appeared to unite fans inside Toronto’s FIFA Fan Fest: a chorus of boos when a Doug Ford ad appeared on the big screen.
Moments after the Canada-Bosnia draw, boos erupted at Toronto Fan Fest as a Doug Ford message played on screen.
On Friday at Toronto Fan Fest, Canada and Bosnia drew in their Men’s World Cup game, making history with Canada’s first-ever goal. The game ended in a draw, but the mood changed abruptly after the match when a message by the Ontario premier Doug Ford aired on the broadcast screen, prompting boos from the audience.
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford has played a visible role in the province’s World Cup preparations, including extending alcohol-serving hours to 4 a.m. during the tournament. What many FIFA Fan Fest attendees may not have anticipated, however, was seeing the premier appear on the big screen after the match.
The moment also highlights the unique mix of politics and sport that often emerges during major events, with Toronto’s FIFA Fan Fest drawing thousands of supporters from a wide range of cultural and political backgrounds.
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Ford has faced criticism in recent months over issues including his government’s purchase of a private jet and ongoing questions surrounding the Greenbelt controversy.
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When his face appeared on the screen, attendees booed until the ad finished.
For a brief moment after the final whistle, Canada and Bosnia supporters who had spent the afternoon on opposite sides appeared united by a different sentiment altogether.
