The Frostbite Cup

Frigid Football in Montreal

By Where Is Football

Football brakes for few conditions.

Whether in driving rain or mellow sunshine, the match proceeds the same. Through howling wind, incessant sleet, or maddening fog, we play on. But when too much snow overwhelms the ball—often, in these conditions, neon orange in color—and curbs its capacity to roll carefree, the referee has no choice but to whistle matches dead.

In places like Montreal, where winter's bite endures long past a white Christmas, it can be a frustrating experience to go months without a game outdoors, the way the sport was was originally intended to be played. But for Yvan Delia-Lavictoire and his teammates at Ringleaders FC, the range of snowy hurdles have only intensified their passion for the sport - becoming a tradition unto itself.

Every winter, The Ringleaders host The Frostbite Cup, where teams take on each other—and the snow—in a tournament where proper attire is just as crucial as a well-weighted pass.

First touches might not be the same, and the ball won't sit up for a glorious half-volley, but it's a ball, a team, a goal—and that's football, no matter the weather.