Canada’s long-awaited World Cup debut as co-hosts has been overshadowed by the absence of their captain and talisman Alphonso Davies, ruled out of tonight’s Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a hamstring injury. The Bayern Munich left-back, widely regarded as the nation’s finest ever player, will miss what would have been his first appearance on the world stage at BMO Field in Toronto.
Opening ceremony brings star power to Toronto
Before a ball was kicked, the evening began with Canada’s own opening ceremony — the second of the tournament following Mexico’s curtain-raiser on Thursday. Fireworks lit up the Toronto sky as a performance celebrating Canada’s indigenous people, with dancing, song and spoken word, got proceedings under way. Headlining the show was Canadian superstar Michael Bublé, joined by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Nora Fatehi and Sanjoy in a high‑octane display of red‑clad patriotism. Alanis Morissette performed the Canadian national anthem, while Aleksandar Gajić sang the Bosnian and Herzegovinian anthem. Actor and comedian Will Arnett also took part as a FIFA World Cup 2026 Ambassador. The ceremony, designed to showcase Canada’s diversity and the unifying power of football, ran for around 90 minutes before kick‑off.
Davies’ absence leaves gap in Canada’s plans
The biggest blow for Jesse Marsch’s side came with the confirmed absence of Alphonso Davies. The 24-year-old suffered an ACL tear while on international duty last year, and then sustained a further hamstring setback during Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain in May. Despite optimism from the Canada camp, an MRI scan revealed “very positive signs that he’s healing incredibly well, almost completely,” Marsch said on Thursday. Nevertheless, Davies was not fit enough to feature. Richie Laryea was handed the starting spot at left‑back in his place.
Davies is not just the team’s captain but its most potent attacking outlet from deep, and his absence forces a tactical reshuffle. Canada, ranked 30th in the latest FIFA rankings, have shown significant improvement under Marsch since he took over in May 2024, losing only two of their last 23 matches. Their defence has been notably stingy, conceding more than one goal only twice since the Copa América. Yet losing a player of Davies’ calibre — even with the squad’s recent resilience — is a major setback for a side that has never won a World Cup match in three appearances (two defeats in 1986, three in 2022).
Marsch himself brings a wealth of experience, having previously managed Leeds United, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg (where he led the club to back‑to‑back Austrian league and cup doubles) and MLS sides Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls.
Match underway with contrasting histories
The match kicked off at 8pm BST (3pm ET) at BMO Field, temporarily renamed Toronto Stadium for the tournament. The venue, which has a capacity of 45,736 after recent expansions, opened in 2007 and will host six matches during the World Cup — making it the smallest stadium in the competition. The game is being broadcast live on the BBC in the UK.
It only took Alphonso Davies 68 seconds… 🇨🇦⏰#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/8k8ssrfAFF
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 12, 2026
Canada’s lineup featured Maxime Crépeau in goal, with a back four of Alistair Johnston, Michael De Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius and Richie Laryea. Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustáquio, Ismaël Koné and Liam Millar formed the midfield, while Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi led the attack. On the bench were the likes of Jonathan Osorio, Jacob Shaffelburg and Cyle Larin, alongside Davies — an unused substitute.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, ranked 65th, fielded an experienced side: Vasilj in goal; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic and Kolasinac in defence; Bajraktarevic, Tahirovic, Basic and Memi in midfield; with Lukic and Demirovic up front. Veteran striker Edin Džeko, now 40 and the country’s all‑time leading scorer, started on the bench — a reminder of the team that reached Brazil in 2014, their only previous World Cup finals. Bosnia qualified for this tournament via play-off victories over Wales and Italy, and arrived on an eight‑game unbeaten run, with their last defeat a World Cup qualifier against Austria in September.
This is the first ever meeting between the two nations. For Canada, their World Cup record reads: played six, lost six, with two goals scored and twelve conceded. Bosnia, meanwhile, boast a solitary win from their sole appearance — a 3‑1 victory over Iran in 2014 before group‑stage elimination.
Canada’s other Group B opponents are Qatar and Switzerland, while the expanded 48‑team tournament — the first to be hosted by three nations (Canada, Mexico and the United States) — sees the top two from each group plus the eight best third‑placed teams advance to a new 32‑team knockout phase. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium.
