This Week in Sports: Canada draws solid World Cup group, Summer McIntosh dominates at U.S. Open, Freddie Freeman gets hilariously heckled in SickKids fundraising video

As the world of sport continues to grow, Canadians and their sports teams are front and centre as they make their mark around the globe — and in no small way. ​This past week, there were numerous major moments featuring Canadian talent, and some highlights from across pro sports that are just too good to ignore.

Canada found out who they’ll be playing in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Summer McIntosh put on a show in the U.S. Open, and Freddie Freeman got hilariously burned in a great SickKids fundraiser video.

Also, Lionel Messi secured another major trophy with Inter Miami’s MLS Cup win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Toronto Raptors’ slump continued, and Valerie Grenier earned an emotional podium finish at a World Cup event in Mont-Tremblant.

With that being said, here’s an update on some of the things you might’ve missed from our Canadians last week, and what you should have marked on your calendar moving forward.

Canada draws Switzerland, Qatar and potential clash with Italy for 2026 World Cup

The Canadian men’s national soccer team officially received its group and opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Les Rouges will be playing in Group B, and will take on Switzerland, Qatar and the winner of the UEFA Playoff A winner. There’s a lot to unpack here, so here’s a look at what each opponent could present to the Canadians.

UEFA Playoff A Winner

Canada will play either Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wales or Italy in their first game of the tournament. The first two would likely be the more preferred opponent for the Canadians, as they both have the least amount of experience in major soccer play.

Wales and Canada most recently met in September, with the red and white earning a close 1-0 win in that friendly. The Dragons’ head coach Craig Bellamy wasn’t happy with the Canadian celebrations after the game and said that he wanted to see them at the World Cup. A few wins and he might get his wish.

The popular selection for Canada’s worse-case scenario appears to be Italy. The Italians haven’t been able to break through as of late, having failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.

But despite that, the Azzurri still holds its reputation as one of the best teams in the world, while also harbouring world-class talent that play in some of the best clubs in Europe.

That, along with Toronto’s massive Italian influence, could present one of the more intriguing matchups of the World Cup group stage. Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure, we’ll likely be in for a treat come June if Italy can get the job done.

Canada will know who will be the final member of its group play on March 31, 2026, following the four-team playoff format.

Qatar

One of the lowest ranked teams in Pot 3, Canada is largely expected to have their way against Qatar when they meet next year. However, the Qataris shouldn’t be looked at as a pushover. They easily breezed through the Asian qualifiers and will likely be prepared under former Spanish national team head coach Julen Lopetegui.

Switzerland

The Swiss went undefeated in World Cup qualifying, securing four wins in six of their matches to earn their sixth consecutive appearance. Even though they’ve never won a World Cup knockout game, Switzerland is known for their ability to show up at major tournaments; having made the Round of 16 in three straight editions of the tournament.

Summer McIntosh delivers with incredible performances at U.S. Open

Summer McIntosh did some Summer McIntosh things on Friday night.

The four-time Olympic medalist dominated at the U.S. open, securing the gold in both the 200-metre and 400-metre butterfly events. And to add the cherry on top, she was on the verge of breaking records in both events.

The Toronto native absolutely smoked the competition in the 400, as she touched the wall in more than 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Her total time of 3:55.37 is the second-fastest ever in the event, behind only her own world record.

In the 200, her time of 2:06.62 seconds is the fastest-ever recorded time on American soil and the fourth fastest time in the event. McIntosh now owns four of the five fastest times in the event, and trails only China’s Zige Liu for the top spot.

McIntosh looks to be feeling like her old self after a health scare just two months ago. The 19-year-old was dealing with complications after getting a spinal tap procedure, and was forced to withdraw from all three World Aquatics Swimming events.

Well, it looks like that issue is well past her now. She also earned a bronze in the 100-metre butterfly and seventh in the 100-metre backstroke.

‘What a clown’: Freddie Freeman gets heckled in hilarious SickKids fundraising video

Toronto Blue Jays fans might’ve got a good laugh out of SickKids’ latest fundraising video.

This past week, the foundation released a video that featured baseball star Freddie Freeman and actor Ryan Reynolds. Freeman, who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Blue Jays in the World Series over a month ago, gets hilariously berated after walking into Toronto’s hospital for sick children.

Last August, Freeman revealed that his son Maximus had been diagnosed with Guillan-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. Maximus spent eight days in the ICU, but was able to recover and is now doing better. Freeman went on to donate $1 million to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County after seeing the work that doctors and staff did for his son.

Also, the Dodgers’ first baseman holds dual Canadian and American citizenship due to his parents, who were both born in Canada.

Lionel Messi adds another trophy to filled cabinet with MLS Cup win over Whitecaps

Another trophy was added to the shelf of Lionel Messi on Saturday, as Inter Miami took a clean 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.

Messi was his usual spectacular self in the match, picking up a pair of assists on the go-ahead and game-sealing goals. He played all 90 minutes, adding a shot on target, a block and 19 passes. He was also named MLS MVP for his efforts.

This is Messi’s 44th career senior title and his third overall with Miami, having helped them secure the Leagues Cup in 2023 and Supporters Shield in 2024. It also completes a great turnaround for Inter Miami, who never made it past the first round before Messi joined the club back in 2023.

This also marks the end of the terrific careers of former Spain national team players Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. The former Barcelona players are considered some of the greatest players at their respective positions. Alba is regarded as one of the greatest left backs, while Busquets is known for his innovative abilities as a defensive midfielder.

Raptors fall to Celtics for third consecutive loss

Just four days ago, a game-winning assist from LeBron James helped the Los Angeles Lakers take down the Toronto Raptors in a thriller.

Since then, the Raptors have lost two more, falling to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, followed by a tough loss to the Celtics on Sunday. Boston’s 77-point first half was the most allowed by the Raptors in a half this season.

Toronto trailed by as many as 23 in this one, with the team failing to stop Boston on the defensive end. But off the back of Brandon Ingram’s 30 points, the Raptors were able to storm back. They managed to tie the game at 102, but a Payton Pritchard three broke their momentum and helped the Celtics pull away for good.

Darko Rajakovic’s team will need to get out of their slump quickly, as their upcoming stretch won’t get any easier. They’ll take on the Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, followed by a four out of five-game road stretch against the Bucks, Celtics, Nets, Heat and Wizards.

Valerie Grenier wins Bronze in World Cup Giant Slalom at Mont-Tremblant

Last December, Valerie Grenier broke down in tears after the FIS World Cup event in Mont-Tremblant, Que., was cancelled.

But nearly a year to the day later, the event was back and the Canadian alpine skier took full advantage of the moment. In front of a passionate home crowd, Grenier delivered a thrilling performance to capture bronze in the Giant Slalom event.

St. Isidoire’s finest posted a combined time of 2:17.18 to reach the podium at the ski resort near where she used to train as a child. It was an emotional finish for Grenier, who secured her first World Cup podium in over a year after dealing with numerous issues during the season.

It's been a long time coming for the 29-year-old. Over the last few years, she faced numerous injuries to her body, including a torn ACL and meniscus rupture during that span.

She’ll look to build on this performance as the World Cup circuit heads to the United States next week.

Canadian Star of the Week: Nathan MacKinnon

Outstanding, incredible, sensational; those are some of the words that can be used to describe the play of Nathan MacKinnon so far this season.

This past week, the Colorado Avalanche star centerman put on a show for hockey fans everywhere, tallying four goals and an assist, including an incredible overtime winner against the New York Rangers on Saturday.

MacKinnon nearly dropped a defender with a toe drag, before placing his backhand over the shoulder of Igor Shesterkin to win the game for the Avs.

The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has torn up the NHL through this season, posting a league-best 49 points through 29 games. His 24 goals also pace the league, and he’s currently on track for a whopping 70 goals this season.

A former Hart Trophy winner, MacKinnon has put himself in the driver’s seat to capture the award once again if he can keep this up.