Ottawa warms to soccer fever

By Cormac Rea, Special to CBCSports.ca

"Football is for all. Faith is for all."

So reads the sign at a Presbyterian church in Ottawa's picturesque Glebe neighbourhood.

FIFA's U-20 World Cup held the usually placid nation's capital in the grip of football fever, or soccer fever, depending on your jargon, for a 16-day spell.

Renowned for decades as the home of CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders, Frank Clair Stadium usually sits silent and devoid of activity now. But it virtually hummed with energy over the recent span of games as Argentina's travelling carnival, Nigerian talking drums, Brazilian samba bands, and Mexican Oles competed vigorously to outdo one another.

Mexican Giovanni dos Santos was just one of the many stars to wow Ottawa soccer fans. (AIME RAZURI/AFP/Getty Images)

In a spectacle more common to soccer hubs such as Manchester, Barcelona or Rome, fans streamed through the Glebe, wrapped in flags, replica soccer uniforms and the national colours of visiting nations, stopping only to create impromptu parties or sing in the streets. Local residents sold miniature flags and stood with cardboard signs offering their driveways for parking. Those without tickets congregated in rows on the nearby Bank Street Bridge, which rises up adjacent to the security fences of the stadium, literally craning their necks to get some view of the games.

Local merchants were happy to involve themselves in the act. Restaurants sported flags, pumped mariachi and tango music or advertised soccer-themed specials. Even the local pharmacist found space for two carefully draped A.C Milan and Portugal jerseys among the usually clinical arrangement of medicine bottles in the window display.

"There was a fantastic atmosphere here especially with the South American and African fans," said Michael Winterburn, Ottawa's communications manager for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. "There is always an African team that breaks out and the South Americans are perennial powerhouses, so people who attended matches will have a real insight to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa."

Each of the six Canadian host cities witnessed huge stirrings of community and cultural support for matches, but Ottawa was perhaps a showcase example of the interest that top-level soccer events can generate. While hosting tournament darlings Argentina for four matches was lucky enough, Ottawa also had the good fortune of visits from top sides such as Mexico, the Czech Republic, Brazil, the U.S., North Korea, Panama, Zambia and Nigeria.

"I think this has been a revival of who we are and what we mean to the local community and, through this tournament, maybe the rest of the world," said Patricia Pinciaroli Gordon, president of the Ottawa Argentinian Association.

"We were even seen on television by my family in Cordoba, Argentina, a cousin in Barcelona, and some friends in London, England," she added, laughing. "It is appropriate because in Argentina soccer is a centre point of culture and a point of reunion for families."

As the FIFA U-20 World Cup seems destined to become the largest single sporting event on Canadian soil, many will be forced to reconsider the myth that soccer is a secondary sport in Canadian culture. Many soccer fans will also be asking questions about youth development after some disappointing results by the host nation, but certain tournament guests in the capital were quick to caution against pessimism.

"Canada was maybe not so lucky," explained a talent scout from German professional club Borussia Dortmund, while at the Argentina-Mexico match.

"It was a difficult group. Austria has good tactics and can develop well in European system. African teams, such as the Congo, are always very strong. Chile is maybe top three here. But this … this is good," he adds, his voice drowned out by roaring fans. "This is very good for football in Canada," he concludes, winking and waving expansively at the stands.

Quite literally.

In Ottawa, tickets to the south stands of Frank Clair Stadium were the first to be sold, and local soccer clubs bought nearly the entire lot. More than 12,000 package tickets were sold to clubs across the city, and they accounted for nearly half the attendance in each packed house.

"We're really excited about the city's response," said Winterburn. "Tickets for the finale in Ottawa, the quarter-final with Argentina and Mexico, sold out five days ahead."

Eventually, 125,531 fans packed into Frank Clair and, in comparison to cavernous grounds such as Edmonton's Commonwealth or Montreal's Olympic stadiums, the stadium's cozy match capacity of only 26,559 was instrumental in creating brilliant atmospheres. It is now abundantly clear that the MLS chose a magic formula in creating "soccer specific" stadiums, such as Toronto FC's National Soccer Stadium, with average gates of approximately 30,000.

As hopes of Canada attaining the rights to host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2011 brighten, and the continuing success of Toronto FC prompts further talks of MLS expansion north of the border, Canadian soccer fans should feel justified in remaining positive about the future. Who knows? The FIFA U-20 World Cup may yet go down in history as the catalyst for real growth and success in Canada's grassroots soccer program.

But in the meantime fans will need to keep the faith.

"I've been to every match," said Brazilian native and Ottawa resident Jorge Gutierrez. "Of course, Brazil is in my heart but it has been special to see good football in Canada, my home, and hear the music. For me, for many people, this is like communion. Like church. What will I do next week?"