Special Initiative: Soccer-themed activities for Canada Day 2026
From: Canadian Heritage
In 2026, Canada will co-host the FIFA World Cup 26™ with the United States and Mexico. To enable Canadians to join in the celebrations surrounding this important event, Celebrate Canada will provide up to $5,000 in funding for its beneficiaries to add soccer-related activities to their Canada Day event.
Who can apply
This temporary opportunity is available to organizations applying for funding for Canada Day activities in 2026. These organizations must be eligible according to the Celebrate Canada Guidelines.
Eligible activities
Eligible soccer-related activities may include, but are not limited to:
- parades
- friendly soccer matches
- soccer-themed decorations and crafts
- geography and culture games
- soccer skills demonstrations
- soccer-inspired artistic or cultural activities
We encourage collaboration with local soccer associations.
Examples of ineligible activities:
- activities not taking place during the Canada Day celebrations of July 1, 2026
- activity that are not open to the public (ex. an activity at a bar, or on private property)
- competitive soccer-matches, tournaments or leagues
- events of a primarily religious, political, or commercial nature
- activities whose primary purpose is fundraising or contests
- conferences, symposiums, round-tables, workshops and other events not intended for the general public
- activities that are (in whole or in part) an extension of regular or permanent programming
For more information, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Client Service and Public Support team (contact information below).
Application deadline
The application intake period will take place from October 10, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (ET), to November 21, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. (ET).
How to apply
Step 1:
- applicants must submit an application through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal for their regular Canada Day event.
If you cannot access the new system or apply online for any reason, please contact our support team.
Step 2:
- read the Frequently Asked Questions for soccer-themed activities.
Step 3:
- Complete the application form for soccer-themed activities (separate process).
The Client Service and Public Support team is available from Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 6:30 pm (ET) to assist with technical issues or questions related to your application.
- Telephone
- 1-866-811-0055
- TTY
- 1-888-997-3123
- info@pch.gc.ca