MATCH PREVIEW: CanMNT 🇨🇦 kick off home World Cup journey with tough Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦 'fight'

It’s a match almost a decade in the making for the CanMNT. 

For the first time in the program’s history, Canada will play a home game at the men’s World Cup, as they get set to take on Bosnia & Herzegovina in their 2026 tournament opener at Toronto Stadium on Friday.

After a long journey to this moment, one that started when they were awarded the rights to co-host this tournament alongside the United States and Mexico back in 2018, this will be a day of celebration for the sport in this country, and for good reason. 

Once upon a time, moments like this seemed impossible. Back in 2018, they had only been to one World Cup, and that was all the way back in 1986, so the idea of being able to participate as hosts in 2026 seemed far-fetched. 

Now, though, after surprising the world en route to qualifying to the 2022 tournament, Canada enters this 2026 World Cup ready to impress. They can no longer be accused of using this tournament as a chance to qualify automatically and get a rare taste of the big stage, and what they did en route to the 2022 World Cup proved that. 

Because of that, expectations have shifted for this team. In 2022, they were happy to be there, and that naivety showed through in key moments. Overall, it was still a successful tournament, as they proved that they can compete at that top level, but in hindsight, they weren’t ready for the occasion and that they failed to earn a point shows that. 

In 2026, though, the objectives are much loftier, as this Canadian team will have bigger dreams than just winning their first World Cup game - they’ll believe that a run to the knockout stages is very possible. 

That’s not to say that they won’t have their eyes on getting that first win, as you have to imagine they’ll celebrate such an accomplishment appropriately, but they’ll feel that ticking that box is a bare minimum for them. 

“We want to give our country something to be really proud of,” CanMNT head coach, Jesse Marsch, said last week. “This team is full of incredible men with incredible stories, incredible talent, and impeccable character. I know Canada loves a winner, and they also love good people, and I think we can show that we can be both.”

To return to their first game, however, there’s no better way than to get that duck off their back by getting that victory in their tournament opener against Bosnia & Herzegovina. With the energy of a country behind them, opening the tournament with a victory would help them set the tone for what they hope is possible over the next few weeks.

“We wanna win, because it’s the World Cup,” CanMNT midfielder, Ismaël Koné, told reporters this week. “We wanna win because we wanna go as far as we can, we wanna win because we want 3 points. I think when you play a home World Cup, for us as Canadians, we know how big it is, so we don't need any more motivation than that, for real.”

If they’re to get that victory, though, it won’t be easy to beat this Bosnia side, one that has proven to be a tough side to take down. They proved that in World Cup qualifying, especially when they beat four-time World Cup champions, Italy, in the final of their UEFA qualifying playoff path. 

They will have no issues with playing spoiler in a match like this, which is why Canada will have to be ready to match the challenges that this technically sound, well-organized and physical Bosnian side will pose on both sides of the ball. 

At the same time, it’s not as if Canada is unwilling to roll up their sleeves and drag themselves into the fight, either. This is a team that has a clear identity under head coach Jesse Marsch, who wants his side to be aggressive and direct on both sides of the ball.

It’s no secret that when the first whistle blows on Friday, Canada will come out of the gates flying, pressing high up the pitch and flying into duels. 

“The team is excited; we're all living the dream right now of having the World Cup at home,” CanMNT goalkeeper, Maxime Crépeau said this week. “But when we step onto the field, we’ll transform that into business, along with pure joy to represent our country. The team is happy at the moment, but very focused as well, and we're gonna focus on the white lines and what happens inside them (on Friday).”

Yet, that shows why this will be such a fascinating matchup. In a wide-open Group B, whoever wins this match will get a big edge in the race to qualify for the knockout stages (and perhaps even to win the group), showing why it’s so important to start on the right foot. 

In terms of player availability, Canada are likely to be without Moïse Bombito and Alphonso Davies for this game, although, as of writing, no update on their status for this match has been officially issued (there were reports earlier this week that Bombito could be removed from the squad, which Canada can do until 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday). Otherwise, Ali Ahmed and Jacob Shaffelburg look to be ready to feature after both dealt with hamstring injuries, while Ismaël Koné will hope to be available to start after missing training on Wednesday with a fever. 

As for Bosnia, Edin Džeko is a doubt as he deals with a knock, although he’s still expected to start, while Haris Tabaković is unlikely to play as he deals with a foot injury. 

CanMNT player to watch:

Tajon Buchanan

Having failed to score or assist in his last 10 appearances for Canada, Buchanan will enter this game hungry to make a difference, and his team will be hoping he is up for that challenge. 

With his ability to run at players and cause problems on the dribble, he has the quality to break open what could be a cagey game, which could create space for him to generate chances, both for himself and his teammates. 

Given Canada’s current offensive woes, they’ll hope he has a goal or an assist in him - in that regard, it bodes well that he assisted Canada’s first-ever men’s World Cup goal in 2022, finding Alphonso Davies with a nice cross. On that play, and through the rest of that tournament, Buchanan showed that he’s one to rise in the biggest moments, and there’s no bigger moment for Canada than this tournament opener.

Matchup to watch: 

Luc De Fougerolles vs. Bosnia’s strikers

With it looking likely that the 20-year-old Luc De Fougerolles will start this game for Canada at centre back, it’ll be fascinating to see how he handles the grandeur of such an occasion given his relative inexperience as a player. 

He’s so far shown to be quite unafraid of any level he’s gotten the chance to be thrown into, so it’s hard to imagine him faltering in a big way, but as many will know, playing in a World Cup is a different beast. 

Bosnia will know that, so they’ll put him under pressure early and often - how De Fougerolles can respond to that test will dictate how solid Canada is at the back in this game. 

Given their solid defensive record over the past 12 months, Canada will be hoping that he passes that test, especially as they look to iron out some kinks offensively, which will be harder to do if they give up some cheap goals at the back early in the game.

Canada will win this game if…

They convert their chances. 

Heading into this match, Canada have scored just eight goals in their last nine games, as they've struggled to generate dangerous attacking opportunities. Given that they’ll be likely to hold a lot of the ball in this game, the onus will be on them to turn that possession into high-quality chances, and then convert those chances into goals. 

One reason that Bosnia did so well in the UEFA World Cup qualifying playoffs was that teams let them hang around in games, showing why Canada must be clinical with their opportunities, especially if they start this game well. 

On that note, it’s imperative that Jonathan David finds a way to get more involved in the attack, as Canada is most dangerous offensively when he’s on his game. After failing to score at the 2022 World Cup, the pressure will be on him to find a goal in this tournament, and understandably so. 

Canada will lose this game if…

If they fail to contain Bosnia & Herzegovina on set-pieces. 

Bosnia are a tall team, with most of their players sitting at 6 feet or taller, which gives them a massive advantage in aerial duels, especially on set-pieces. That’s partly why they love playing a physical game, one that encourages their opponents to foul them in retribution, as they know that they can hurt opponents from dead-ball situations. 

Because of that, Canada will have to make sure that they’re spotless with how they defend set-pieces, especially if this game gets physical, which is very likely. 

Projected XIs: 

Canada: Crépeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Koné, Eustáquio; Buchanan, Millar; Larin, David (4-2-2-2)

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vasilj; Dedić, Katić, Muharemović, Kolašinac; Bajraktarević, Bašić, Šunjić, Memić; Demirović, Džeko (4-4-2)

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