This is Canada's third World Cup (1986, 2022, 2026). Their opening match against Bosnia-Herzegovina takes place Friday in Toronto. Canada serves as co-host alongside the USA and Mexico.
At Qatar 2022, Canada lost all six group matches: 2 goals for, 12 against. The group included Belgium, Croatia and Morocco, with the latter two reaching the semi-finals. This time, the squad arrives with greater experience in European leagues and the advantage of a home crowd.
Canadian football journalist Har Johal calls this Canada's greatest ever squad. More players compete in Europe, and expectations grow daily. Fans are getting behind Team Canada after years of underperformance.
As co-host, Canada avoided some logistical issues affecting other venues: both stadiums sit downtown in Toronto and Vancouver. Hotel prices surged 300% from typical 2025 rates. Downtown Vancouver rooms exceed $1,000 per night, with some above $2,000 on match days.
→ Next match preview: Canada — Bosnia