Last updated: June 19, 2026 | For real-time information, please refer to official announcements
The 2026 World Cup officially kicked off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with host nation Mexico defeating South Africa 2–0 to win the opening match in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 — making this stadium the first in World Cup history to host an opening match three times. For those of us living in Canada with our hearts in the tournament, what really keeps us glued to our phones, of course, is every performance from the Reds in the group stage.
This is the first World Cup in history to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and also the first tournament expanded to 48 teams. The format has shifted to 12 groups of 4, for a total of 104 matches (72 group-stage matches, 32 knockout matches), with the top two teams from each group plus the 8 best third-place finishers advancing into the newly added “Round of 32.” The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, with the final taking place at the New York/New Jersey stadium.
Canada was drawn into Group B, alongside Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of this writing, the Reds have played two group-stage matches, and the results have plenty of local fans calling it a rare, dream start.
First match: 1–1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina (June 12, BMO Field, Toronto). Bosnia and Herzegovina struck first through Jovo Lukić in the 21st minute, with Ontario-born Cyle Larin equalizing for Canada in the 78th. That point carried huge significance — it was Canada’s men’s team’s first-ever point in World Cup history, and also the program’s first-ever goal scored on home soil. Before this, Canada had gone winless and scoreless across all six matches at the 1986 and 2022 World Cups.
Second match: 6–0 rout of Qatar (June 18, BC Place, Vancouver). Played on home turf in Vancouver, this match delivered Canada’s men’s team’s first-ever World Cup win, with the scoreline also setting the record for the largest margin of victory by a CONCACAF team in men’s World Cup history. Jonathan David scored a hat-trick on his own, with Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba each adding a goal, plus an own goal. Qatar was reduced to nine men at one point, while Canada fired off 33 shots over the course of the match. For Vancouver fans to witness a performance like this on home soil was likely an unforgettable night.
After two matches, Canada sat tied atop Group B with Switzerland at 4 points, with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar trailing behind at 1 point each. Here’s the group standings snapshot after two matches, taken before the final round kicked off:
| Rank | Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | Switzerland | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | Qatar | 2 | 1 |
The real decider came on June 24: Canada faced Switzerland at BC Place in Vancouver, and Switzerland ultimately came from behind to win 2–1 (goals from Vargas and Manzambi, with Promise David pulling one back for Canada). Despite the loss, Canada advanced to the Round of 32 as Group B runner-up, marking the program’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout round; Qatar finished bottom of the group in that round and was eliminated.
On the venue side, Canada is hosting 13 matches in total this tournament, split between BMO Field in Toronto (6 matches) and BC Place in Vancouver (7 matches), and World Cup play at both venues has now wrapped up. If you’re hoping to soak up the atmosphere in person, check out our Vancouver viewing guide and Toronto viewing guide — booking transit and accommodation early will make things much easier.
On the broadcast side, Canadian rights for this tournament belong to Bell Media, and all 104 matches are available: English-language coverage airs on TSN and CTV, French-language coverage on RDS, with streaming available through the CTV App, TSN App, and Crave, and select matches also airing for free on over-the-air CTV. For exact channels and broadcast times, it’s best to check official announcements and each platform’s schedule directly.
The tournament is still ongoing, and scores, points, and qualification scenarios can change at any time. To stay on top of the latest results, follow our World Cup live scores and standings page, or check FIFA’s official match centre for the most up-to-date numbers.
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