Canadians often wonder what it’ll take to get the national team back to the World Cup – turns out, the answer may have been right under our noses the entire time:
Annex the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Now, we’re not talking about a hostile takeover (that’s not how Canadians roll, after all); rather, we’d be welcoming the small Caribbean territory into the Confederation as our 11th province.
It’s not a new idea, either. Prime Minister Robert Borden first floated it way back in 1917 and since then, it’s been an on-again, off-again fixation for Canadian decision-makers. Just this week, the federal New Democratic Party once again raised the prospect of bringing the Turks & Caicos under Canadian control.
Whenever the idea gets back into the news, Canadians perk up about the possibility of escaping those frosty northern winters in a sunny, tropical province. And sure, that’s the main selling point.
But this time, the news has coincided with Les Rouges tumbling back down to No. 95 in the latest FIFA rankings, which has us wondering—could bringing the Turks & Caicos on board also help Canada get over the hump in men’s soccer?
Life’s a beach
LeBron James took his talents to south Florida (for a while, anyway). David Beckham has fought for years to bring an MLS team there. Heck, since joining the Florida Panthers, Jaromir Jagr looks like he’ll be playing hockey until he’s 50. There’s no denying it: pro athletes love sunny beaches looking out onto the North Atlantic Ocean.
You know which territory is full of some of the area’s top beaches? Yep, the Turks & Caicos—and if that doesn’t help convince some uncommitted players to join the Canadian team, nothing will.
More reinforcements
Benito Floro’s side has benefitted in the last 18 months from a wave of new talent, including the likes of Junior Hoilett, Tesho Akindele and Scott Arfield. The addition of the Turks & Caicos player pool would make Canada’s depth even stronger.
Granted, the Turks & Caicos players may not have resumes as impressive as those other guys, but they’ve got heart—and they’ve also got camaraderie, since most of them play with and against each other in the Turks & Caicos domestic league.
Yep, a British Overseas Territory with a population of under 50,000 has its own domestic league. Let that sink in for a moment.
Trust the numbers
Some cynics say you’re more likely to win the lottery than to see the day Canada returns to the World Cup. And if you’re playing the lottery in Canada, it’s probably the Lotto 6/49.
Well, guess what the area code is in the Turks & Caicos? You got it: 649. It’s fate. It has to be.
Getting into the Caribbean Cup
Having the Turks & Caicos on board could be Canada’s way of wriggling into the Caribbean Cup, which would have numerous benefits.
It would give Canada a bunch more official games against CONCACAF opposition, which would mean more chances to test out (and cap-tie!) young and promising players. It would also give the team more experience playing on the road and in the heat, a situation in which Canada often wilts in World Cup qualifying.
Perhaps most importantly, it would give Canada the chance to rack up FIFA points, since winning an official game carries a higher multiplier than winning a friendly. And if that pushed the team into the top six in CONCACAF when the seeding is done for the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying, Canada’s chances of reaching the Hex suddenly receive a big boost.
Life’s a beach, part 2
Of course, the easiest way to qualify for the World Cup is to host it. The Canadian Soccer Association has already thrown the country’s name in the hat as a potential venue for the 2026 tournament, flaunting the organization’s previous record of hosting FIFA events as one of their key arguments.
Adding the Turks & Caicos would give Canada the chance to host yet another FIFA event—the 2019 Beach Soccer World Cup. And given how successful that tourney will be (how could it not be?), Canada will be a shoo-in to be awarded the biggest show of all, come 2026.
