Canada face Bosnia and Herzegovina in historic World Cup opener

Canada begin their campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, 12 June, when they host Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto. The match marks the first time the host nation has played a World Cup game on home soil, with Canada co-hosting the tournament alongside the United States and Mexico. Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage provided by FOX and Telemundo.

The fixture forms the opening round of Group B, which also includes Qatar and Switzerland. Canada manager Jesse Marsch leads the side in what is their third World Cup appearance, following previous participations in 1986 and 2022. This marks the first occasion Canada has qualified for consecutive editions of the tournament, having secured automatic qualification as hosts.

A significant uncertainty surrounds Canadian captain Alphonso Davies, whose availability for the opener is in question due to physical issues. Davies has expressed pessimism regarding his chances of playing, yet his presence remains critical given his historical impact on the national team. He scored Canada’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal in 2022, netting just 68 seconds into their match against Croatia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived at the tournament via a playoff final against Italy in March, securing their spot in the 48-team edition. The current squad features only two players from their previous World Cup campaign in 2014: Edin Dzeko and Sead Kolasinac. The match presents a significant challenge for Canada, who hold a record of six defeats in six World Cup matches between 1986 and 2022.

CBS Sports Golazo Network will provide extensive coverage of the tournament, offering up to 12 hours of live programming each matchday. Programming includes Morning Footy, Golazo Matchday, and Scoreline, with additional coverage of the United States men’s national team match against Paraguay later on Friday.