Canada has been to the World Cup exactly twice before. In 1986, they didn’t score a single goal. In 2022, they won a grand total of zero matches. Now they’re hosting the thing, and the expectations are, shall we say, slightly different.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, with Canada set to play its opening match the very next day against Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto. As a co-host alongside the United States and Mexico, Canada automatically qualified for the tournament, which runs through July 19.

A squad built for the moment

Head coach Jesse Marsch has assembled a roster that looks nothing like the Canadian teams of decades past. The squad, last updated on June 9, features genuine star power from Europe’s top leagues.

Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich speedster, headlines the roster. Jonathan David, now plying his trade at Juventus, provides the goal-scoring threat that Canada has historically lacked at the World Cup level.

Marsch has emphasized an aggressive tactical approach for the tournament.

Group B: the path forward

Canada lands in Group B alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland.

This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, expanded from the previous 32-team format. That expansion means more group-stage matches and more pathways to advance.

Canada’s group-stage schedule includes the Toronto opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, with additional matches set for Vancouver.

Why this matters beyond soccer

Canada’s 2022 World Cup appearance in Qatar, its first since 1986, a gap of 36 years, signaled that the program had turned a corner. The squad that went to Qatar featured many of the same core players who will take the field this summer, but they’re now older, more experienced, and playing at home.

Legacy initiatives tied to the tournament are focused on growing soccer participation across the country.