North American hosts face early tests as World Cup campaigns begin
Alphonso Davies sits out for Toronto side while Chris Richards expected back for Los Angeles fixture
Canada and the United States commenced their 2026 World Cup campaigns on Day 2, Friday, June 12, following Mexico’s opening of the tournament on Thursday. The North American hosts played their respective Group B and Group D fixtures, with Canada facing Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto and the United States hosting Paraguay in Los Angeles. Both matches were broadcast on Fox.
Canada played its first-ever World Cup game on home soil without star player Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich left back missed the fixture due to a hamstring injury, having torn an anterior cruciate ligament in March 2025. Davies was limited to 23 games for his club last season and has played only 32 league games over the past two seasons. His absence leaves a gap on the left flank, with expectations that Jonathan David and Cyle Larin will need to provide offensive support.
Bosnia-Herzegovina qualified for the tournament by defeating Italy in a UEFA playoff final on penalties. This marks the nation’s second World Cup appearance as an independent state, having last qualified in 2014. The team is led by 40-year-old striker Eden Džeko and has adopted a pragmatic style under manager Sergej Barbarez, who was appointed in 2024. The squad is not expected to dominate possession but aims for effectiveness in play.
The United States hosted Paraguay in Los Angeles, a match where anything less than a win was viewed as a disappointment. The US has never advanced past the quarterfinals in modern World Cup history and faces a field of 32 teams in the elimination stages. Defender Chris Richards of Crystal Palace was expected to return to the lineup after missing warm-up matches due to an ankle injury. His presence is considered critical for the backline.
Under coach Mauricio Pochettino, the United States is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation. This setup features wingbacks Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson pushed further forward to provide width, supporting midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. Paraguay is likely to be without star attacker Julio Enciso, who suffered a knee injury in a tune-up match a week prior. Striker Antonio Sanabria is expected to lead the attack.
Fox Sports honoured former analyst Grant Wahl during the pregame coverage of the tournament’s opening match on June 12, 2026. Wahl passed away in 2022 while covering the World Cup in Qatar. The tribute acknowledged his contributions to soccer journalism as the network prepared for the extensive coverage of the 2026 tournament.
