Canadian soccer players praise Edmonton fans for braving rainy weather
The Canadian men’s national soccer team took over Commonwealth Stadium on Monday night.
Canada’s World Cup tune-up against Uzbekistan was marred by torrential downpour throughout Edmonton. It was less-than-ideal conditions for fans wanting to attend, as the Commonwealth stands were littered with rain ponchos and rubber rain suits, but that did not deter the Edmonton faithful.
Despite the miserable conditions, fans packed into the stadium, with the final attendance numbers totalling a staggering 46,164, which is roughly 80 per cent of Commonwealth’s 56,302 capacity.
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Those fans got what they wanted, as Canada cruised to a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan with goals from Jonathan Osorio and Jayden Nelson.
Players were impressed with Edmonton’s support, praising the fans who made the trek out to Commonwealth and braved through the rain.
JONATHAN OSORIO OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA 🇨🇦#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/DQIx7ORkZx
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 2, 2026
“It means everything,” Osorio said after the match. “Honestly, we’re not surprised. The crowd here in Edmonton showed out a few years ago in a blizzard. I’m not surprised. The fans here are amazing; they showed up for us.
“We need them. We need the country to get behind this team. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world, and there’s no better exciting time in the program than now, so we need the whole country to get behind us.”
"We need the whole country to get behind us."
Jonathan Osorio comments on the Edmonton crowd to @TSNScianitti #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/E5zgETIyu2
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 2, 2026
Osorio is right that Edmonton has a history of bracing the elements to support the national team. The blizzard that he was referring to was during a November 2021 match between Canada and Mexico at Commonwealth Stadium during the World Cup qualifiers.
One downside of the match is that Alphonso Davies wasn’t able to take to the pitch. It was a homecoming for the Edmonton native, but he was sidelined with an injury and is working his way back for the World Cup.
Still, he was in attendance to watch the team play on his home turf and was not surprised at all by the fan support.
“I never doubt it,” Davies said after the match. “Edmonton always showed out when it comes to sports. It’s amazing to see.
“Even when we had the game in November in ’21, being -12C, they showed out. I thought today, I knew it was going to be the same outcome, because it’s a city that supports their sports team for sure.”
Rain didn’t dampen the spirits of Canadian soccer fans at Commonwewalth Stadium. (Perry Nelson/Imagn Images)
Perhaps Canada coach Jesse Marsch said it best after the game when it comes to Edmonton sports fans and bad weather. Maybe it just adds to the overall experience.
At this point, it should be a rite of passage for any sports fan residing in the Alberta capital.
“I think Edmonton likes the bad weather more than the good,” Marsch joked. “The fans were great, everybody was out here early, the support for the team has been fantastic.
“It’s only gonna grow as we continue to move forward, and I’m glad we were able to put some entertaining football on the pitch so everyone can get excited for the next couple weeks.”
Canada has one more tune-up match against Ireland set for Friday in Montreal, before opening the World Cup in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12.