Canada was in a difficult group four years ago, alongside the likes of Belgium, Morocco and Croatia, so it was no surprise to see them finish bottom of the group with zero points.
With the group now four years older and led by manager Jesse Marsch, who possesses solid experience at club level in European football, there's certainly hope that they can progress out of the groups this time around as the Pot 1 nation.
They've made a solid start, with a hard-fought draw vs the gritty Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Alphonso Davies was deemed fit for inclusion in the squad after hamstring injury woes, but is expected to miss the second group game having also missed the first, which is a blow for Canada to say the least.
The point vs Bosnia was the country's first-ever in a senior men's FIFA World Cup. After finishing on zero in both the 1986 and 2022 tournaments, the result marked a massive psychological breakthrough for Les Rouges.
Mood
Canada’s World Cup record reads P6 L6, but expectations are much higher this year.
They’ve come a long way since an 8-1 drubbing at Honduras ended World Cup 2014 qualification hopes, and Qatar 2022 was treated as a dress rehearsal for a group of neophytes on the world stage. Now, superstars Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David are ready to provide an uncharacteristically rude welcome to Canada.
The fans will also supply a raucous atmosphere for home fixtures. Fueled by immigration, soccer culture in Canada has exploded alongside talent development.
Strengths
The sum is greater than its parts. Villarreal’s Tajon Buchanan, LAFC’s Stephen Eustaquio and Nice’s Moise Bombito, among others, have bought into Jesse Marsch’s ‘Maplepressing’ system and their high work-rate can help to bridge the skill gap against better opponents.
Weaknesses
Davies and David measure up to almost any duo in world football, but there is a noticeable talent disparity beyond that. Top international sides can break through Marsch’s high press and expose individual weaknesses. There are also ongoing questions around the level of support from Canada Soccer.
Squad
Canada World Cup 2026 squad
- GK: Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami)
- GK: Maxime Crepeau (Orlando City)
- GK: Owen Goodman (Barnsley)
- DF: Moise Bombito (Nice)
- DF: Derek Cornelius (Rangers)
- DF: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
- DF: Luc De Fougerolles (FCV Dender)
- DF: Alistair Johnston (Celtic)
- DF: Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough)
- DF: Richie Laryea (Toronto FC)
- DF: Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split)
- DF: Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire)
- MF: Ali Ahmed (Norwich City)
- MF: Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal)
- MF: Mathieu Choiniere (Los Angeles FC)
- MF: Stephen Eustaquio (Los Angeles FC)
- MF: Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL)
- MF: Ismael Kone (Sassuolo)
- MF: Liam Millar (Hull City)
- MF: Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC)
- MF: Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht)
- MF: Jacob Shaffelburg (Los Angeles FC)
- FW: Jonathan David (Juventus)
- FW: Promise David (Royale-Union Saint Gilloise)
- FW: Cyle Larin (Southampton)
- FW: Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal)
Fixtures
- June 18, 2026: Canada vs Qatar, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
- June 24, 2026: Switzerland vs Canada, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Recent Results
- June 12, 2026: Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- June 5, 2026: Canada 1-1 Republic of Ireland, Saputo Stadium, Montreal, Canada
- June 1, 2026: Canada 2-0 Uzbekistan, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada
- March 31, 2026: Canada 0-0 Tunisia, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- March 28, 2026: Canada 2-2 Iceland, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- November 18, 2025: Venezuela 0–2 Canada, Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States
- November 13, 2025: Canada 0–0 Ecuador, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- October 14, 2025: Colombia 0–0 Canada, Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, United States
- October 10, 2025: Canada 0–1 Australia, Saputo Stadium, Montreal, Canada
- September 9, 2025: Wales 0–1 Canada, Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea, Wales
- September 5, 2025: Romania 0–3 Canada, Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania
- June 29, 2025: Canada 1–1 Guatemala (5–6 pens), U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, United States
- June 24, 2025: Canada 2–0 El Salvador, Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States
- June 21, 2025: Curaçao 1–1 Canada, Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States
- June 17, 2025: Canada 6–0 Honduras, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
- June 10, 2025: Canada 0–0 Ivory Coast (4–5 pens), BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- June 7, 2025: Canada 4–2 Ukraine, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- March 23, 2025: Canada 2–1 United States, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States
- March 20, 2025: Canada 0–2 Mexico, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States
Group B standings
Canada are in Group B at World Cup 2026.
Manager
Who is Canada's manager?
Jesse Marsch made the step into international management when he assumed the role as Canada head coach in 2024.
He made the 2024 Copa America semi-final, losing to Argentina, before being eliminated in the 2025 Gold Cup in the quarter-finals.
He rebuffed an approach after the tournament from the US national team and will now lead Canada at just their third World Cup.
Star player
Who is Canada's star player?
Should Canada be successful this summer in their home tournament, a lot will rely on Jonathan David, who scored just six goals in 35 Serie A games this season, re-discovering form.
The striker previously spent five years in Ligue 1 with Lille, tallying 37 goal involvements as his side played Champions League football for the first time in three years during his final season, before earning a move to Juventus.
He is Canada's all-time highest goalscorer, with a recent penalty brace against Iceland in March bringing his haul to 39 goals in 79 games, but failed to register a goal at the World Cup in 2022.
Best XI
Predicted line up
Canada projected lineup vs Qatar (4-4-2): Maxime Crepeau; Alistair Johnston, Luc De Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea; Tajon Buchanan, Ismael Kone, Stephen Eustaquio, Liam Miller; Jonathan David, Cyle Larin.
