Canada hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup 2026

The match will mark the first official encounter between the two nations.

TORONTO – The FIFA World Cup 2026 continues with Canada taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B on Friday at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The match will mark the first official encounter between the two nations.

Canada will be making its third ever World cup appearance (1986 and 2022), seeking its first win in the tournament. Toronto has typically led to great results for the Canadians as they have only lost one of their last 28 matches played there (18 wins, 9 draws), a 3-2 defeat to Jamaica in 2023.

The Reds will be relying on their all-time leading scorer Jonathan David to lead the charge. He has been directly involved in over a third of Canada’s goals across their last two major tournaments, with four goals and an assist in the 2024 Copa América and 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

World Cup hosts have reached the second round of the competition in 20 of the previous 22 editions, with the exception being South Africa in 2010 and Qatar in 2022. Canada is hoping to keep the positive streak going for hosts. The last hosts to win the tournament were France in 1998.

Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – Facts

• This will be the first-ever meeting between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina in international competition.
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks Canada’s third appearance on football’s biggest stage, following their participations in 1986 and 2022. It will also be the first time Canada have qualified for consecutive World Cups.
• Canada have lost all six of their previous FIFA World Cup matches, scoring just two goals (including one own goal) while conceding 12. Among nations with at least six World Cup matches played, only El Salvador share the distinction of losing every game.
• This will be Canada’s sixth FIFA World Cup match against UEFA opposition, accounting for six of their seven World Cup matches overall.
• Host nations have advanced beyond the group stage in 20 of the previous 22 FIFA World Cups. The only exceptions were South Africa in 2010 and Qatar in 2022. The last host nation to lift the trophy was France in 1998.
• Canada have suffered just one defeat in their last 28 matches played in Toronto (W18 D9), a 3-2 loss against Jamaica in November 2023.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina will make their second FIFA World Cup appearance, following their tournament debut in Brazil in 2014. Despite defeating IR Iran 3-1 in their final group-stage match, they were eliminated after posting a record of one win and two losses.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina secured qualification through the UEFA Playoffs, eliminating both Wales and Italy in penalty shootouts. They lost only one of their 10 qualifying matches, a 2-1 home defeat to Austria, and scored in every qualifier.
• Jonathan David has been directly involved in more than one-third of Canada’s goals across their last two major tournaments. The striker recorded four goals and one assist combined at the 2024 Copa América and the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
• Jesse Marsch will experience his first FIFA World Cup as a head coach. The tournament will be his third major competition in charge of Canada within three years, following a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Copa América and a quarterfinal appearance at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
• Edin Džeko finished as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s leading scorer during qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, netting six goals in nine appearances. The 40-year-old featured in all three of Bosnia’s matches at their only previous World Cup in 2014 and scored in the 3-1 victory over IR Iran.
• Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj played more minutes than any other player during UEFA qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, completing every minute of all 10 matches (960 minutes). His most decisive contribution came in the playoff shootout against Wales, when he saved the final penalty to secure Bosnia and Herzegovina’s place at the tournament.