A breakdown of Canada’s first-round opponents at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Friday’s draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup divided the 48-team discipline into 12 teams, so we now know which three groups Canada will face within the first spherical — form of. 

While the Canadians will tackle Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver of their ultimate two group-stage matches, their opening recreation in Toronto shall be towards a yet-to-be-determined European nation.

How did Canada make out from the World Cup draw? Can it win its first-ever recreation on the event after dropping all six of its earlier matches when it certified in 1986 and 2022? Do Les Rouges stand an opportunity of advancing to the knockout spherical subsequent summer time?  

Let’s break down Canada’s World Cup group by taking a look at every of its first-round opponents (FIFA world rating in parentheses). 

GROUP B: CANADA, Europe Playoff A winner, Switzerland, Qatar 

Match 1: Canada (No. 27) vs. UEFA Playoff A winner 

When and the place: June 12, BMO Field, Toronto 

Forty-two nations have already certified for the World Cup. The ultimate six berths shall be decided from March 26-31. 

Aside from the 2 inter-confederation playoffs, 4 playoff collection involving European groups may also happen. Canada’s opening match on the World Cup shall be towards the UEFA Playoff A winner.  

• Italy (No. 12) vs. Northern Ireland (69) in Bergamo 

• Wales (32) vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (71) in Cardiff 

• Final: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy/Northern Ireland 

It’s onerous to interrupt this down as a result of we gained’t know Canada’s opening opponent at subsequent summer time’s World Cup till March. But in an ideal world for Canada, both Wales, Northern Ireland or Bosnia and Herzegovina will emerge from the Path A playoffs.

Canada earned a 1-0 win over Wales in Swansea in a global pleasant in September. Les Rouges carried the majority of the play towards the Welsh and had been extra harmful going ahead by the primary 45 minutes earlier than trying leggy and simply seeing issues out within the second half. If Canada finally ends up taking part in Wales, it would take nice confidence from that end result and can rightly really feel it may take three factors from its World Cup opener. 

The identical may be mentioned if Canada finally ends up going through Northern Ireland or Bosnia and Herzegovina, each lower-ranked and missing the identical high quality and depth of expertise as subsequent 12 months’s co-host. 

The worst-case situation can be for Canada to play Italy, which has gained 4 World Cups — solely five-time champions Brazil has gained it extra usually. The Azzurri have fallen on onerous instances, having didn’t qualify for the final two World Cups, and so they regarded completely uninspired at Euro 2024, bowing out within the spherical of 16. 

But that is nonetheless Italy we’re speaking about — one of many true giants of world soccer that has an skilled and deep roster that’s composed of gamers who ply their commerce at a number of the finest golf equipment throughout Europe. 

An opening match towards Italy can be one of many hardest assessments the Canadian males’s group may have ever confronted, and even with all of the struggles the Italians have skilled, they’d nonetheless need to be thought of the favourites towards Canada. 

What hurts the Canadians is that they’ll have to attend three months to seek out out who their first opponent shall be on the World Cup, after which they’ll have solely two and a half months to arrange for them. 

“We’ll be very heavily weighted on Switzerland and Qatar over the next three, four months, knowing that we’ll have to spend a lot of April and May to look at whoever our third opponent is. I don’t love that. We don’t know all three right now, but at the same time, we’ll make the best out of it. It’s the World Cup; we’ve got to be ready,” Canadian coach Jesse Marsh warned. 

“Without knowing who the third opponent is, it can get difficult, specifically, if Italy advances. But I think we’re excited. As I said going into the draw, we weren’t going to fear anyone, but we will respect everyone. And I think that remains with this group. I think there’s opportunity there, but some big challenges. So, we’re excited.” 

Match 2: Canada vs. Qatar (No. 51) 

When and the place: June 18, BC Place, Vancouver 

Qatar’s path to the World Cup 

Qatar breezed by its opening spherical of the Asian qualifiers, topping its group with 5 wins and a draw. It discovered the going a lot more durable within the subsequent spherical when it positioned fourth in its group. By failing to complete within the high two, Qatar was pressured to play an additional group stage — it completed first forward of the United Arab Emirates and Oman to guide its spot on the World Cup. 

Things couldn’t have gone a lot better for Canada by drawing Qatar, one of many lowest-ranked groups from Pot 3. In doing so, the Canadians prevented prolific Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Norway (No. 29) and No. 34 Egypt, who had been the highest-ranked sides from Pot 3. 

Former Spanish nationwide group coach Julen Lopetegui has solely been on the helm of Qatar since May, however he’s already left his tactical imprint by switching between a 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 formation. He’s harassed bodily dedication and onerous work off the ball, and for good motive — Qatar doesn’t have any actually dynamic attackers or game-breakers of their squad.  

The Asian nation has simply two wins in its final six outings and has principally performed nations from inside its area. Matches towards top-tier nations have been few and much between for Qatar, so it needed to be mentioned that this ought to be a simple opponent for Canada — it’ll go into this match because the heavy favorite. 

Player to observe: Almoez Ali 

The Sudanese-born striker was the highest scorer within the Asian qualifiers with 12 objectives.  

Qatar’s solely earlier look got here in 2022 when it turned the primary nation from the Middle East to host the World Cup. The Maroons didn’t accomplish that properly of their debut within the competitors, dropping all three video games and ending thirty second — useless final — within the event. 

Previous matches vs. Canada 

Canada and Qatar have met solely as soon as earlier than. In preparation for internet hosting the final World Cup, Qatar confronted Canada in a pleasant on Sept. 23, 2002, in Vienna. Goals by Cyle Larin and Jonathan David contained in the opening 13 minutes paced the Canadians to a simple 2-0 victory. 

Jesse Marsch’s response 

“We’ll have to do quite a bit of (scouting) on Qatar. (Julen) Lopetegui is a great coach, and I know him a bit, but really getting to know their team in and out will be important for us.” 

Match 3: Canada vs. Switzerland (No. 17) 

When and the place: June 24, BC Place, Vancouver 

Switzerland’s path to the World Cup 

Switzerland booked its spot on the World Cup by ending in first place in its group within the European qualifiers. The Swiss went unbeaten in six video games (4 victories) to win its part forward of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden. 

Things may have been a lot worse for Canada. Instead of going through Croatia (No. 10) or Morocco (No. 11) — two groups they misplaced towards on the final World Cup — the Canadians drew the Seventeenth-ranked Swiss from Pot 2 throughout Friday’s draw. 

Switzerland achieved World Cup qualification on the power of its again line — it conceded simply two objectives and recorded 4 clear sheets throughout six qualifying matches. Fullback Ricardo Rodriguez has been a mainstay for Switzerland, serving to to anchor a well-organized defence that’s tough to interrupt down. 

Manager Murat Yakin may be fairly fluid along with his formation, however will probably go along with a typical 4-3-3 setup subsequent summer time. There’s not a star striker on the group, so it’ll depend on scoring by committee. This may very well be a really fascinating tactical battle with the Canadians aggressively going straight on the Swiss, utilizing their pace and their excessive press to unbalance them within the group stage finale. 

Player to observe: Granit Xhaka 

At age 33, he stays a significant participant for his nation. The Swiss captain supplies a steadying presence in midfield and might rating the odd objective. 

Switzerland on the World Cup 

The Swiss shall be competing of their sixth consecutive World Cup subsequent summer time, and it is going to be their thirteenth general. Their finest displaying got here in 1934 and 1938 after they reached the quarterfinals. Switzerland additionally superior to the ultimate eight in 1954 when it hosted the World Cup. Since then, they’ve both been knocked out within the spherical of 16 or didn’t get out of their first-round group. In 2022 in Qatar, the Swiss misplaced to Portugal within the spherical of 16. Switzerland has by no means gained a World Cup knockout recreation. 

Previous matches vs. Canada 

Canada earned a 3-1 win over Switzerland on May 15, 2002, in St. Gallen, in the one different earlier assembly between the 2 nations. Canada Soccer Hall of Famers Tomasz Radzinski (a brace) and Paul Stalteri discovered the again of the web for the Canadians. 

Jesse Marsch’s response 

“I think they have a really balanced team. They have good players all over the pitch; a very deep team, good defenders and very explosive attackers, but they would like to possess the ball. So, in theory, this is an opportunity with the way we play, but also a challenge because they are a talented side — they’re a technical and tactical side. It’s a very good opponent, but one that we can match up with.”