Canada and Bosnia Aim for Victorious World Cup Opener

For the first time in FIFA World Cup 2026, co-hosts Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina are set to face each other on Saturday at Toronto Stadium, Canada’s home ground. Having previously lost all six World Cup matches, Canada is determined to secure its first victory on home soil. Bosnia and Herzegovina, who qualified by defeating Italy in the UEFA playoffs, are making a return to the World Cup after 12 years.
May 29, Kathmandu—On the second day of the FIFA World Cup 2026, co-host Canada will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina with the goal of earning its first-ever World Cup win. Alongside the United States and Mexico, Canada is hosting the tournament and will play in its home stadium for the first time. The match will kick off at 12:45 a.m. Nepal Time at Toronto Stadium. Despite having yet to win a World Cup game, Canada aims to leverage home-field advantage to secure a breakthrough victory. This will be the first international encounter between these two nations on the football stage, with both teams eager for a positive start.

Canada, hosting the World Cup for the first time, is making its third overall World Cup appearance and second consecutive qualification, after debuting in 1986. Bosnia and Herzegovina return to the tournament after a 12-year absence. Canada’s previous World Cup participation was in Qatar 2022, where it qualified directly but lost all six games played to date, exiting at the group stage each time. Canada has only managed to score two goals in its six World Cup matches, reflecting a need for improvement. Bosnia and Herzegovina, who debuted in 2014, qualified this time by defeating four-time champions Italy in a penalty shootout during the UEFA playoffs.

In their debut World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina were unable to defeat Argentina or Nigeria but advanced from the group stage by beating Iran 3–1. This will be Bosnia’s first World Cup match against a CONCACAF nation. While Canada is a dominant force in ice hockey, it has yet to establish a strong presence in the football World Cup but aims to progress beyond the group stage playing at home. Led by Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies, who is the team captain and the first Canadian to score in a World Cup, Canada’s squad also features key players such as Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana and having moved to Canada at age five, Davies has scored 15 international goals. Bosnia’s team includes former 2014 World Cup players Edin Džeko and Sead Kolašinac. Bosnia’s qualification was largely driven by the outstanding performance of forward Edin Džeko. Canadian midfielder Stephen Eustáquio highlighted the squad’s experience and confidence in playing their style, and expressed optimism that the support of home fans would produce positive results. Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Savo Milošević reminded that their team should not be underestimated despite being from a smaller nation as this is their second World Cup appearance; the squad is prepared to deliver world-class performances.

Match Details
Match: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Venue: Toronto Stadium
Kickoff: 12:45 a.m. (Nepal Time)
Referee: Facundo Tello
Canada’s last 5 match results: 2 wins, 3 draws
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s last 5 match results: 2 wins, 3 draws