As the FIFA Women’s World Cup winds down in Moncton, some say attendance numbers indicate soccer’s popularity is on the rise in the region.
Sunday’s match between Brazil and Australia at Moncton Stadium was a near sellout, with more than 12,000 fans taking to the stands, despite some rain.
“When I was young I don’t think soccer was as popular as it is now with the generations that came after me and my daughter … we just put her in soccer this year,” said fan Matthew Estabrooks.
“I think it is showing that Atlantic Canada is starting to like soccer more,” said fan Thomas Carter-Thompson. “Usually people only think of it as hockey, but lately there has been a lot more soccer fans.”
With strong ticket sales and $40 million in economic spinoffs for the province, including $27 million for Greater Moncton, the numbers are hard to ignore. On a national level, the event has been a record-breaking FIFA Women’s World Cup, with 1.25 million tickets sold.
Stephane Delisle, manager of the Moncton venue, says the future of the sport will be influenced by the support shown so far.
“We have an opportunity to change for the positive the sport of women’s soccer. It’s already a great participation sport in the country,” said Delisle.
“The women’s national team has done amazing things in this country for a number of years, looking at the bronze medal in London 2012, but what could it do? What could happen over the next 10, 15, 20 years? We just don’t know and I think time will tell.”
But some say that change is already happening.
“We have more people realizing they are soccer fans,” said Soccer New Brunswick Coach Sheri Gallant.
“I hear some people have never really watched soccer before and now they are here at the game, they are following it on TV and they are hoping to build a soccer community here.”
Team Canada is headed to the quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 win over Switzerland at B.C. Place on Sunday.
With files from CTV Atlantic's David Bell
