Group B opens Friday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto, where co-host nation Canada begins its campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a historic match at BMO Field, the first men’s World Cup fixture ever staged on Canadian soil.
For Canada, the moment carries weight beyond the standings. It is a home debut on football’s biggest stage, but also a test of whether steady progress in recent years can finally translate into results that match rising expectations.
The hosts arrive with momentum under coach Jesse Marsch, unbeaten in eight matches heading into the tournament. That run has been defined less by attacking fireworks and more by control and structure, with six clean sheets highlighting a side that has learned to manage games even when it struggles to finish chances.
Yet history looms over every Canadian World Cup appearance. The team has lost all six of its previous matches at the tournament and has never scored in an opening game, falling 1-0 to France in 1986 and repeating that scoreline against Belgium in 2022 after missing a penalty that could have shifted the narrative.
This time, the context is different. Canada enters as a co-host with a deeper squad and more international experience across its core players, but the pressure is also sharper. A home crowd in Toronto expects more than participation. It expects progress.
