By Elke Porter | WBN News World Sports | January 17, 2026
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Karina LeBlanc, the celebrated retired Canadian Olympic soccer goalkeeper and current General Manager of the Portland Thorns, has become the face of Vancouver's welcome to the world as the city prepares to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Born in Atlanta but raised in Maple Ridge, British Columbia—a key part of the Vancouver area—LeBlanc discovered soccer at age eight and found not just a sport, but confidence, belonging, and a sense of home that would shape her remarkable career.

The woman who once felt lost as a young girl in a new country went on to represent Canada in five FIFA World Cups and two Olympics, earning bronze in London 2012, before transitioning into leadership roles including Head of Women's Football for CONCACAF.

Now an Order of Canada recipient, Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, UNICEF Ambassador, and advocate for youth through her foundation, LeBlanc embodies the multicultural spirit of Vancouver itself—a city built by immigrants and dreamers who found their place in the shadow of mountains and beside the sea.

In a powerful video message under the #WeAre26 campaign, LeBlanc speaks directly to what makes Vancouver the perfect host city for the world's biggest sporting event. "Vancouver has everything," she declares, highlighting the city's unique combination of natural beauty—water and mountains—alongside its incredible diversity and world-class culinary scene. But beyond the tourist attractions, LeBlanc emphasizes something deeper: Vancouver's ability to make everyone feel welcome, to help people see themselves reflected in both the athletes on the field and the fans in the stands.

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/6Xa9p7h4T30?si=TQcYhGSmsCKmLja0

"This city is going to connect in a whole different way because they'll see a lot of them on that field," LeBlanc explains, referencing Vancouver's remarkably diverse population. For a city where residents hail from every corner of the globe, the World Cup represents more than just elite competition—it's a mirror held up to the community itself, where cultures that call Vancouver home will watch their heritage nations compete while standing together as Canadians.

LeBlanc's message transcends sports promotion; it's deeply personal. She speaks of how soccer "made me feel like I mattered" and how Vancouver transformed a lost young girl into someone who found home. That journey from newcomer to national hero to global sports executive makes her the ideal ambassador for a city and an event built on the promise of inclusion, belonging, and the universal language of the beautiful game.

Elke Porter at:
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TAGS: #WeAre26 #Vancouver2026 #FIFAWorldCup2026 #KarinaLeBlanc #CanadianSoccer #VancouverWelcomesTheWorld #WBN News World Sports Edition #Elke Porter

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