Canada captain Stephen Eustáquio has emerged as the most popular player among Canadian fans at the 2026 World Cup, according to new research from Tonybet.
The social media study found that the Ontario-born midfielder drew a 54.4% positive response from all social media users across Canada.
Eustáquio wore the captain’s armband during the tournament in the absence of Alphonso Davies, delivering a string of impressive performances throughout the competition.
The study analysed social media posts across X, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Bluesky for all users in Canada from June 11th to July 16th, using media intelligence platform Meltwater.
CANMNT coach Jesse Marsch also received strong recognition from Canadian fans, earning a 34.4% popularity score after guiding Canada to their first World Cup win and first Round of 16 appearance.
Among global stars who scored four or more goals at the tournament, England’s Jude Bellingham topped the positive sentiment rankings with a 28% score among Canadian social media users.
Bellingham edged out Erling Haaland, who registered 26.6% positive sentiment, while Lionel Messi came in at 24.4% among the same audience.
Tonybet head of Product Kiryl Liudvikevich said: “The 2026 World Cup will be fondly remembered by Canadian sports fans across the country, who witnessed the tournament co-hosts record their first win and reach the Round of 16.”
Liudvikevich added: “Among the global superstars who have set the tournament alight, Canadians most favoured England hero Jude Bellingham – who received a 28% positive response on social media.”
Not everything about the tournament landed well with Canadian fans, as FIFA’s introduction of hydration breaks drew a notably negative reception on social media.
Canadian users registered a 42.5% negative response to the hydration break innovation, compared to just 9.9% who reacted positively to the new measure.
Liudvikevich noted: “There was less affection for the introduction of hydration breaks, which drew an overall negative response by Canadian social media users (42.5%).”
The study highlights just how deeply Canadian fans engaged with the tournament, particularly given the historic nature of the host nation’s performances on home soil.
