Many of Canada’s players come from Brampton, Ont., where Adrian Ghobrial is enjoying the atmosphere at a World Cup watch party.
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Is Brampton Canada’s unofficial soccer hub? You bet it is.
Just northwest of Toronto, this suburban city with around 800,000 people is where a group known as the Brampton Six began their rise. These Canadian soccer talents are now motivating a new wave of players.
Canadian men’s national team midfielders Jonathan Osorio, Tajon Buchanan, Liam Millar and Jayden Nelson, along with forwards Cyle Larin and Promise David, all hail from Brampton.
That means nearly one-fourth of Canada’s men’s national team is made up of talent from Brampton, surpassing bigger cities like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
“We just tell everybody to drink the water. The water is great in Brampton,” joked Paula Phillips, executive director of the Brampton Soccer Club. She fondly remembers all six players starting out when they were young.
“They began in our grassroots program, in house league. They started simply because they wanted to kick the ball,” Phillips said.
Canada soccer Brampton The Brampton World viewing party on June 24, 2026. ( )
She adds that these players received great support from coaches, clubs and parents as well as family members and neighbors; it was truly a community effort.
“You know what they say: ‘it takes a village.’ Well, we’re part of that village,” said Phillips.
In a bustling Garden Square in downtown on Wednesday evening, hundreds of fans watched proudly as David scored during a tough match against Switzerland.
One fan there was retired gym teacher Ed Mc Mahon. He recalls how some coaches at school encouraged kids to get into soccer instead of focusing solely on hockey or basketball which were more popular sports in town.
“Thanks to this push towards the sport by dedicated coaches and clubs, all these kids started playing soccer,” Mc Mahon shared. “We took them away from our high school football programs and other activities; but they did so well. They won several Ontario championships, and I’m not surprised to be here today watching them succeed on such a big stage.”
Canada soccer Brampton The Brampton World viewing party on June 24, 2026. ( )
Among those cheering at the viewing party near main street were kids who looked up to both the live action and knowing that these players came from their neighborhood-attending the same schools and playing on similar fields.
“Seeing them inspires me to go play too,” said 12-year-old Ashwin Kajanthan. “Seeing people from my community make it big makes me think I can make it big.”
The true victory for Canada during this year’s World Cup might be happening right now as children across various communities discover their own potential while witnessing their country create history.
“I like shooting and dribbling and scoring,” said six-year-old Chance Taylor who came straight from school wearing his red-and-white Team Canada jersey for the event.
Just looking at the crowd in Brampton shows how excited young fans are to see their local heroes perform on an international level.
Now they have clear goals ahead-dreaming about their futures with stories yet unwritten.
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