Bouctouche boy's World Cup dream coming true

11-year-old with heart condition heading to Toronto as match ball carrier

For most 11-year-olds, walking onto a FIFA World Cup field would be the thrill of a lifetime.

But for Theo Labelle of Bouctouche, N.B., it means even more.

On July 2, Theo will step onto the pitch at BMO Field, currently called Toronto Stadium for the World Cup, as a ball carrier before a FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia.

“It’s my dream to go to the World Cup,” Theo said. “I’m excited about bringing the ball and being with the players.”

Theo is one of 13 children across Canada selected through Kia Canada's Match Ball Carrier program.

While seven kids earned their spots by representing Team Canada at a youth soccer tournament called the Official Match Ball Carrier Cup in Los Angeles, Theo was one of six selected through Kia's Inspiring Stories program, which recognizes youth making a positive impact in their communities.

Each of the kids selected get to attend a Canadian-hosted match in Toronto or Vancouver where they will carry the official match ball onto the pitch and give it to the referee to mark the start of the game.

Toronto Stadium has a capacity of over 45,000 fans, but Theo says he won't be intimidated by the crowd.

“I’m not afraid,” he said. “Put me in front of a million.”

New Brunswick boy to step onto World Cup field

Theo’s journey — that would one day include a trip to the World Cup — began long before he ever kicked a soccer ball.

Born with a complex congenital heart condition, he underwent life-saving surgeries as a newborn, at eight months old and again at age three. Today, he lives with a single-ventricle heart, leaving him with less endurance than most children his age.

His mother, Isabelle Allain-Labelle, remembers a time when they didn’t know whether Theo would ever be able to run.

“He was literally fighting for his life in Toronto Hospital,” she said.

After his third surgery, Theo slowly became more active. By the time he was six-years-old, he had joined a local soccer team. Although the sport demands speed and endurance, he refused to let his heart condition stop him.

“He doesn’t get to score goals easily, but he still shows up,” Allain-Labelle said. “It’s so easy to show up for something you excel at. It takes so much courage, perseverance and confidence to keep showing up for something that’s really hard.”

Soccer quickly became more than just a game. Theo watches matches, collects soccer cards, follows professional players and rarely misses an opportunity to play.

When the family learned he had been selected as a match ball carrier, Allain-Labelle said she broke down in tears.

“It’s kind of coming full circle,” she said. “To be back in the same city where it all started, but this time on a very different note, on a very positive and exciting note — it’s just an incredible feeling.”

As part of the Match Ball Carrier program, applicants were asked to submit a video explaining their love of soccer, their personal story and how they give back to their communities.

For Theo, helping others has become part of his own story. With the help of his mom, Theo has helped organize fundraisers for children’s hospitals, toy drives and holiday meals for families staying at Ronald McDonald House while their children receive treatment.

The family also founded the HEARTS Foundation to support children in hospital and their families.

Allain-Labelle believes Theo's application stood out because of his passion and perseverance.

“They wanted an inspiring story," she said. "Theo inspires everyone around him with his determination, his zest for life and his passion for sports and for soccer.”

Polina Kozlova is a journalist based in Fredericton. You can contact her with story ideas at polina.kozlova@cbc.ca .