As attention often focuses on the USA's political landscape and discussions surrounding Mexico's hosting duties, Canada, the third co-host of the 2026 World Cup, is quietly preparing for what many believe could be their moment to shine on the global football stage. Canadian football journalist Har Johal noted to BBC Sport that Canada is accustomed to being overlooked, allowing the 'countries down south' to claim headlines, yet a steely determination underlies this polite exterior.
This will mark Canada's third appearance at the men's World Cup finals, following unsuccessful campaigns in 1986 and 2022, which saw them lose all six matches, scoring two goals and conceding twelve. However, the current squad is being hailed as Canada's 'best generation ever'. Following an impressive qualification for Qatar 2022, where they were considered dark horses but were ultimately outclassed by eventual semi-finalists Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco, the team now boasts more top-level international experience. With the added boost of a home crowd in 2026, expectations are significantly higher.
On paper, Canada's group for the 2026 tournament appears more favourable, featuring Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Bosnia-Herzegovina secured their spot by defeating Italy on penalties, a result that has further fuelled Canadian optimism. Johal suggested that 'there is no reason Canada cannot top this group', with Switzerland potentially posing their biggest challenge. However, recent results have not entirely mirrored this confidence. Canada was knocked out of the Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-finals by Guatemala on penalties, and their friendly matches have yielded mixed outcomes, including back-to-back draws against Iceland and Tunisia in March. Goal-scoring has also been an issue, with the team failing to find the net in four of their last nine games.
A significant concern for manager Jesse Marsch is the fitness of talismanic captain Alphonso Davies. The 25-year-old Bayern Munich star, who became the first Canadian man to score a World Cup goal in 2022, has missed 15 games for his club this season due to injury, including the March internationals with a hamstring strain. While hoping to be fit for the World Cup, his absence would be a major blow. Johal emphasised Davies as '100% the face of the team', highlighting the importance of his presence.
Off the pitch, Canada has largely avoided the local travel cost controversies seen in some American host cities, as both Vancouver and Toronto boast centrally located stadiums. However, the World Cup's economic impact is already being felt in hotel prices. Downtown Vancouver hotels are quoting rates exceeding £790 (over $1,000 USD) per night during the tournament, with some match-day rates surpassing £1,580 (over $2,000 USD). These figures represent a significant surge, over 300% in some cases, compared to typical 2025 prices, and are substantially higher than the average £280 ($359 USD) per night during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.