VANCOUVER — BC Place has become a spot where long-awaited dreams come true at the 2026 World Cup. Last Thursday, Canada captured its first-ever men’s World Cup victory at the stadium, and on Sunday, Egypt did the same. For Egypt, it was Mo Salah’s night. The former Liverpool man, who has long borne the weight of the nation’s soccer hopes on his shoulders, delivered under the brightest lights. After a goal and an assist, he danced in the streets with fans, embracing a moment he had long dreamed of. Canada didn’t get that same rejoice. After thumping Qatar 6–0, the team shared a somber mood upon the heart-shattering news that Ismael Koné, their locker-room DJ and midfield heartbeat, had suffered a broken leg. This week, though, Canada has come together. The vibes are high—and the group knows the stakes on Wednesday against Switzerland. A draw or win puts Canada atop Group B and secures seven days off and a round of 32 match in Vancouver, with the potential of a round of 16 home game too. Ismaël Koné. Sending you all the love and strength. pic.twitter.com/ZCjDGpkFMq— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 18, 2026A loss would see the co-host leave Canada for the rest of the tournament, likely to face South Korea in Los Angeles on three days’ rest. Before Wednesday’s match, fans are planning a tribute to Koné as well, and one supporter has displayed the midfielder’s name from an apartment balcony overlooking BC Place. “This group continues to surprise me with how amazing they are, how committed and connected they are to each other,” said manager Jesse Marsch. “It’s a soothing moment when you feel the pain of the situation and know that everybody here cares and looks after each other so well.”Someone has made a tribute to Ismaël Koné at an apartment building near BC Place.They’ve even gotten the accent right — just fantastic, heartwarming stuff.#CanMNT has captured this country’s hearts. pic.twitter.com/AEfAsfaYY1— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) June 20, 2026Marsch will need to fill the Koné void, and is likely to turn to Nathan Saliba—who replaced Koné initially and scored a free kick—or one of Niko Sigur, or Mathieu Choinière. Whoever takes that role will be tasked with creating chances for in-form strikers Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, who have combined for five goals in two games. “It’s the story of what we’ve been through,” David said. “When I started out, we weren’t really looking at the World Cup; we just wanted to win our games and go as far as was possible for us. Over time, we’ve gotten better players, and we’ve had some good coaches who trusted us and put a plan in place to get to this level. I think we should be proud of where we are today, and now look to go even further.”Either way, they won’t change their approach, even though a draw is all they need to secure the Vancouver pathway, with Marsch adding that “the worst way to get the draw is to play for a draw.”Bombito, Davies Ready to Make an ImpactMoïse Bombito could be set to return to Canada’s starting lineup. | Christopher Morris/ISI Photos/Getty ImagesWhile Koné’s absence leaves a massive hole, both Bayern Munich superstar Alphonso Davies and first-choice center back Moïse Bombito could be set for more significant duties, with the manager revealing “expects” to see Davies, but won’t start him. “I would say that we will evaluate what we need from him in the game,” Marsch said when asked if there was any scenario that Davies would play in the game, which would mark his first Canada appearance since March 2025. “I would like to get him into the match for sure, and I think that he can have a big impact both on us, physically and football-wise, but also mentally, psychologically, to have him back, our captain back, our best player back in the team.”Davies, who made his MLS debut at 15 with the city’s Vancouver Whitecaps, had been ruled eligible before the Qatar match, but didn’t see the pitch. If he gets into the game and delivers a key moment against Switzerland, the crowd might set sound-level recordsBombito was sprinting in training and played 45 untested minutes against Qatar. Marsch wouldn’t tip his lineup, but the pacy center back looks to be eligible for some important minutes in the crucial match. “It’s been a journey, a great journey,” Bombito said before training on Monday, having gone through an extended recovery timeline from a broken leg suffered in October. “I have to take into consideration that Derek [Cornelius] and Luc [de Fougerolles] have been doing a really tremendous job... I won’t say I don’t want to take their spot, but you don’t want to kill a great momentum. You just want to be able to help when your number is called.”Marsch’s Approach Under FireJesse Marsch’s approach has been under fire in the media. | Emma Ottosen/ISI Photos/Getty Images Since he took on the role in May 2024, Marsch has wanted not only to lift the men’s national team but also to make Canada a legitimate soccer powerhouse. Ranked No. 29 in the FIFA Rankings heading into the match against No.17-ranked Switzerland, it has been a success in some ways. But his grandiose, full-throttle statements and emphatic celebrations haven’t made him many fans in his native United States or internationally.The 52-year-old’s intensity, whether his wry smile, celebrations or approach, is unforgiving and for some, it’s the key to success; while others don’t share similar feelings. Yet, it’s unrelenting and calculated to benefit his team, without regard for external judgements. "Stephen I'm telling you now i disagree completely."Alan Cawley and Stephen Kelly have a disagreement on some of Jesse Marsch's post-match antics.Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup on RTÉ pic.twitter.com/Dvhl2jMSvc— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 19, 2026After a week that saw Irish pundit Alan Crawley’s rant about Marsch’s “lack of class,” and Clint Dempsey rag on his statements about the USMNT’s behaviour in his time with the program, Marsch is simply focused on his team, filled with talents that fit his vision and approach. “Jesse talks about us being almost too Canadian sometimes, you know, being too polite and too nice,” winger Liam Millar said. “He injects his confidence into us... When my coach is a real person, has real emotions, it can always help the group.”On Wednesday, the fourth of seven World Cup games that BC Place will host, Canada will be unapologetic in their intensity, with the weight of the result meaning the world. Luckily for them, BC Place has been something of a theatre of dreams—and they’re hoping Wednesday’s performance can spark more than just a celebration, but a few extra shows. READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow