For the thousands of Canadians living in Costa Rica or passing through on vacation, tomorrow is a day circled on every calendar. At 2:00 p.m. Costa Rica time on Friday, June 12, Canada kicks off its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina at a sold-out BMO Field in Toronto, becoming the most anticipated moment in the history of Canadian football.
This is a tournament unlike any other for Canada. As one of the three co-host nations alongside the United States and Mexico, the Canadians did not have to qualify in the traditional sense. They enter the competition riding a wave of national pride and considerable expectations, with Jesse Marsch at the helm of a squad that has grown dramatically in quality over the past decade. The group stage will be played entirely at home, giving Canada a genuine and arguably once-in-a-generation opportunity to reach the knockout rounds for the very first time.
The Davies Question
The biggest story heading into the opener is the fitness of captain Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich defender, considered one of the best left backs in the world when healthy, suffered a hamstring injury during the Champions League semifinals in May and has not appeared for the national team all year.
Coach Marsch confirmed earlier this month that Davies will not be ready for the opening game, though the expectation is he will feature later in the tournament. His absence is significant. Davies transforms how Canada attacks down the left flank, creates pressure through his recovery speed, and changes how opponents set up against the Canadians. Without him, the team must find different answers.
Fortunately, the rest of the squad is largely intact. Jonathan David, Canada’s all-time leading scorer now playing for Juventus, leads the attacking line alongside physical striker Cyle Larin. The midfield setup under Marsch favors a 4-4-2 system built around pressing high and transitioning quickly, with Ismael Kone and Stephen Eustaquio providing the engine in central areas. Tajon Buchanan adds width and pace on the right.
Bosnia and Hezegovina are not here by accident. They battled through a grueling European playoff path that saw them eliminate both Wales and Italy on penalties before securing their spot at the tournament. Manager Sergej Barbarez has built a resilient unit that defends with discipline and feeds the ball to veteran striker Edin Dzeko, now 40 years old but still capable of moments of quality. Behind Dzeko, Ermedin Demirovic is given freedom to roam and find space.
That said, Bosnia arrive in uncertain form. Their last five competitive matches all ended in draws, and they managed just one goal across two warm-up fixtures. Away from home, they have struggled to win consistently. The defensive structure is organized but has shown vulnerability when pressed at high intensity.
Analysts and prediction markets heavily favor Canada. Sportsbooks currently price the Canadians at around 54 percent to win, with a draw at 26 percent and a Bosnian victory sitting at roughly 21 percent. Most analysts project a tight, low-scoring affair given both teams’ recent trends. Canada enters unbeaten across their last eight internationals, including a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan and a draw with Ireland in their final warmup matches.
The mood in Toronto will be electric. A nation that waited 36 years between World Cup appearances, and went home without a single point in 2022, now gets to play its first home tournament on the biggest stage the sport offers.
Watching From Costa Rica
For Canadian expats and visitors watching from the Central Valley, Guanacaste, or the Pacific coast, most sports bars and restaurants with TVs will carry the match. The kickoff at 2:00 p.m. local time makes for a perfect afternoon viewing. Grab a seat early, order a cerveza, and cheer on Los Rojos. After all, no matter where you are in the world, home is always worth cheering for.
