Which sport has the most registered players in Canada?

Soccer has the most registered players of any sport in Canada. Discover Canada states: "Soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada."

This sits alongside other key facts about Canadian sport in Discover Canada: Lacrosse, an ancient sport first played by Aboriginals, is the official summer sport. Ice hockey and Canadian football are also major spectator sports — but in terms of registered players, soccer leads.

Sport identifiers in Discover Canada: official summer sport (Lacrosse), most registered players (Soccer), second most popular spectator sport (Canadian football), and championship hockey trophy (Stanley Cup, donated 1892).

The distinction between "most registered players" and "most popular spectator sport" is important — soccer wins on registered participants, but ice hockey and Canadian football are more dominant as spectator sports. Discover Canada distinguishes these categories, and the test relies on the precise phrasing.

The growth of soccer in Canada also reflects the country's diverse immigration history, since soccer is the world's most-played sport.