Walmart Canada Kicks Off Sponsorship with Canada Soccer and CPL to Bring Canadians Closer to the Game

Walmart | CSME

Walmart Canada Kicks Off Sponsorship with Canada Soccer and CPL to Bring Canadians Closer to the Game

  • The sponsorship will come to life through grassroots soccer festivals, matchday experiences including ball kids, and storytelling that celebrates Canadian players and communities coast to coast.
  • Walmart Canada will be integrated throughout all Men’s & Women’s National Team home matches and Canadian Premier League matches (in-stadium, broadcast, social)
  • Canadian forward Jonathan David to support the collaboration as an official Walmart Canada ambassador

Toronto, ON – March 5, 2026 – Today, Walmart Canada, Canada Soccer, and Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment announced a collaboration to help bring Canadians closer to the game.

As the country prepares for a historic era in soccer, with growing national pride and participation across communities, Walmart Canada’s sponsorship of Canada Soccer and the Canadian Premier League (CPL), reflects a shared commitment to making the game more accessible on the pitch, in the stands, at home and in communities across the country. Jonathan David, Canada Soccer Men’s National Team forward, will support the collaboration as an official Walmart Canada ambassador.

“From aspiring athletes picking up their first cleats, to parents stocking up on game-day snacks, to fans gearing up with match-day essentials, soccer is helping to bring Canadians in communities across the country together like never before,” said Andrew Go, Vice President, eCommerce and Marketing, Walmart Canada. “Through this sponsorship of Canada Soccer and the Canadian Premier League, we’re making it easy and fun to connect through soccer and celebrate what matters most: playing, celebrating and dreaming big, together.”

Key highlights of the sponsorship include:

Jonathan David, official Walmart Canada Ambassador: One of the country’s most accomplished and recognizable players, Canada Soccer Men’s National Team forward Jonathan David will support the collaboration as an official Walmart Canada ambassador. David’s journey from grassroots soccer to both the world stage and some of the biggest clubs in the world reflects what’s possible when young athletes have access, opportunity and the support of their communities

National Team Match Ball Kids: As sponsors for Canada Soccer’s Ball Kids program for National Team home games, Walmart Canada will be front and centre on matchday to bring youth soccer players closer to action.

Grassroots Soccer Fests: Walmart Canada will be an Official Partner of Canada Soccer’s Grassroots Soccer Fests, activating at 100 local youth soccer club celebration days across Canada.

Multi-Channel Fan Engagement: Walmart Canada is connecting with fans where they are, including in-real-life experiences at National Team and CPL matches, special offers for fans including access to tickets, merchandise and fan experiences, activations at tentpole events during peak moments of the National Team calendar and branded integrations on match broadcasts.

An Assist for the Game
With more Canadians turning their attention to the pitch, this collaboration will help Canadians play, watch and celebrate soccer together

“Soccer has the power to bring people together in every community across Canada. Growing up, access to the game and seeing players you could relate to makes a real difference,” said Jonathan David, Canada Soccer Men’s National Team and Walmart Ambassador. “Collaborations like this help make the sport more visible, more accessible, and more connected to everyday Canadian families. That’s how you inspire the next generation.”

“Soccer in Canada is at an inflection point,” said Kevin Blue, CEO And General Secretary, Canada Soccer. “To seize this moment, we need partners who are prepared to invest in the long-term growth of the game from grassroots participation to our National Teams. This collaboration strengthens our ability to expand access, deepen engagement and accelerate the sport’s trajectory nationwide. It’s the kind of alignment that turns momentum into lasting progress.”

Through youth soccer programming, player ambassador initiatives, national events, and matchday experiences – including ball kids at Canada Soccer National Team matches – the collaboration will help ensure the sport is easy to access, easy to engage with and welcoming for Canadians from coast to coast.

“This collaboration reflects the momentum behind soccer in Canada and the kind of collaboration that moves the sport forward,” said James Johnson, Group CEO, Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment. “When globally recognized brands like Walmart Canada invest in our game, it elevates visibility, accelerates growth and strengthens the entire ecosystem – from grassroots communities to the professional stage. Bringing partners of this scale into Canadian soccer is critical to expanding our reach, deepening fan engagement and ensuring the sport continues to thrive across the country.”

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About Canada Soccer

Canada Soccer, in partnership with its membership and its partners, provides leadership in the pursuit of excellence in soccer, both at the national and international levels. Canada Soccer not only strives to lead Canada to victory, but also encourages Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer.

About Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment

Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (formerly Canadian Soccer Business) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships, licensing, and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada.

About Canadian Premier League

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada’s Tier 1 domestic men’s professional soccer league, provides a national platform for Canadian players to compete at the highest level on home soil and gain exposure on the global stage, contributing to the long-term growth of Canadian soccer domestically and internationally. As part of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment’s league portfolio, which also includes Premier Soccer Leagues Canada (PSLC), the CPL brings high-quality professional soccer to communities from coast to coast and competes in Concacaf- and FIFA-sanctioned competitions.

About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada’s extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $850 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada’s social media pages – Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Armstrong, Vice President, Communications and Business Integration, Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment: laura.armstrong@cansme.ca

Paulo Senra, Chief Communications & Content Officer, Canada Soccer: psenra@canadasoccer.com

Stephanie Fusco, Senior Manager, Communications, Walmart Canada: stephanie.fusco@walmart.com

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Costa Smyrniotis

Costa Smyrniotis is a senior Canadian soccer executive with more than 20 years of experience across the professional, developmental, and commercial sides of the game in Canada and internationally. His career spans league governance, club operations, player representation, and academy leadership, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the soccer ecosystem.

As Executive Vice President of the Canadian Premier League, Smyrniotis oversees sporting and business operations across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment’s league portfolio, including the CPL and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, the umbrella organization for Canada’s national pro-am competitions.

Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Soccer, helping professionalize the league’s on-field product and strengthen its reputation in the global transfer market, increasing player movement and international recognition.

Prior to his league role, Smyrniotis spent five years as Director of Football and Business at Forge FC, building one of Canada’s most successful professional clubs. Earlier, he co-founded Sigma FC, built a leading player agency, and held senior business roles with multinational organizations.

Laura Armstrong

Laura Armstrong is Vice President, Communications & Business Integration at Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, where she leads strategic communications, public relations, and key stakeholder engagement across the company’s corporate functions, leagues, and media assets.

In this role, Laura works closely with executive leadership to align organizational strategy and priorities, supporting the delivery of the company’s long-term vision through coordinated planning and execution across teams.

Prior to joining CSME, Laura spent nearly a decade as a journalist with the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper, where she led the paper’s soccer coverage beginning in 2015. A leading voice in Canadian soccer — particularly in the women’s game — she covered major milestones including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Toronto FC’s treble-winning 2017 season, and Canada’s men’s national team qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Laura regularly appeared across national and international broadcast platforms including OneSoccer, Sportsnet, CBC, CTV, the BBC and more

A bilingual native of Barrhaven, Ont., Laura holds a combined honours degree in Journalism and English Literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dylan Hewko

Dylan Hewko is a finance executive with extensive experience in professional sports, specializing in financial strategy, governance, and organizational oversight. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, supporting the continued growth and financial stewardship of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

In this corporate leadership role, Dylan is responsible for financial planning, reporting, and governance, as well as people operations and organizational policies, supporting the company’s overall business objectives across its leagues and properties.

Prior to joining the Canadian Premier League in 2021, Dylan spent three years with New York City FC as Controller and held finance roles with the Toronto Blue Jays. He began his professional career at Deloitte Canada in the Assurance & Advisory practice, building a strong foundation in corporate accounting and financial management.

A graduate of Queen’s University, Dylan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and Certified Public Accountant (USA). He has long been engaged in the intersection of sport and business, including through leadership roles with the Queen’s Sports Industry Conference.

Marni Dicker

Marni Dicker is a senior executive and governance leader with deep experience in corporate law, infrastructure development, and organizational leadership across complex public- and private-sector environments.

In her dual role as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, Infrastructure, Marni oversees legal strategy, corporate governance, risk management, and compliance, while also leading infrastructure planning and expansion strategy and execution for the Canadian Premier League.

Her career includes senior roles such as Chief Commercial Officer and General Counsel at Infrastructure Ontario, where she led legal and commercial oversight for major infrastructure and venue development projects, including facilities for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. She has also served as Executive Vice President at Live Work Learn Play Inc. and held board positions with organizations including CreateTO, Tarion, and Habitat for Humanity GTA.

A nationally recognized leader, Marni has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers. Her honours include the Canadian General Counsel Award for Business Achievement and induction into the Urban Land Institute’s Hall of Champions. She lectures at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Law and holds degrees from Western and McGill, along with the ICD.D designation. Marni is a proud wife and mother of two.

Shaun Guest

Shaun Guest is a senior sports business executive with more than a decade of experience driving commercial growth through sponsorships, partnerships, and revenue strategy. He currently serves as Vice President, Commercial Operations, working within the commercial leadership team to support partner growth across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment and its properties.

In his role, Shaun leads corporate partnerships and sponsorship initiatives, while also overseeing ticketing, and licensing operations. He works closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver integrated commercial programs that support long-term business objectives.

Prior to joining CSME, Shaun served as Vice President, Business Operations for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Forge FC, where he played a key role in Forge FC’s launch and oversaw corporate partnerships, ticket sales, community engagement, and marketing initiatives.

Earlier in his career, Shaun held roles with the 2007 Grey Cup Festival and the Toronto Rock, building a strong foundation in ticket sales, sponsorship development and revenue generation across multiple sports and event platforms. He is a graduate of Brock University’s Sport Management program and holds a Master’s degree in Sport & Leisure Commerce from the University of Memphis.

Michael Beckerman

Michael Beckerman is a seasoned marketing and business leader with more than two decades of global experience across sports, media, and consumer brands. He brings a strategic, partner-first approach to growing audiences, brands, and commercial impact within the soccer ecosystem.

Beckerman’s career spans three continents and includes senior leadership roles as Director of Advertising for Nike Europe, Vice President of Marketing at Canadian Airlines, Chief Marketing Officer at the Bank of Montreal, and CEO of sponsorship agency MKTG Canada. He also led Ariad Communications, an award-winning marketing and digital agency, and most recently served as Chief Client Officer at Torstar Corporation.

A recognized voice in sponsorship and brand strategy, Beckerman is a frequent speaker on marketing trends, consumer engagement, and the evolving business of sport.

At CSME, Mike leads partner strategy, helping organizations — including Canada Soccer, the Canadian Premier League, Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, OneSoccer, and other media and properties — connect meaningfully with fans to achieve their business objectives while advancing the growth of soccer in Canada.

James Johnson 

James Johnson is a globally recognized sport and entertainment executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. He was appointed Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League in July 2025 to accelerate the growth and transformation of Canadian soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Johnson previously served as CEO of Football Australia, leading a period of transformation marked by record commercial growth, strong national team performance, increased participation, and the successful hosting of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament delivered a lasting legacy, unlocking $389 million in government investment to support the sport’s growth in Australia. He also secured record broadcast agreements with Paramount+, Disney+, and Fox Sports.

His career includes senior executive roles with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and City Football Group, where he built a reputation as a commercially driven, innovative leader advancing sport on and off the pitch.

Johnson leads the group’s overall strategic direction, aligning commercial growth, media innovation, and sporting performance to strengthen the business of Canadian soccer. He serves on the board of OneSoccer.