AGENCIES

Toronto Stadium pulsed in crimson and white as Canada opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a match defined as much by the stands as the pitch.

From dawn, fans flooded the city, turning it into a river of red. By kick-off, the atmosphere had reached fever pitch, and it rarely dipped even after Canada fell behind to a set-piece goal. The response, however, was relentless pressure, near-misses, and a belief fuelled by the crowd’s roar.

“You could see the passion, the emotion through the fans,” said Ismaël Kone, who was later named Superior Player of the Match. “Everything. Everything! I think we never experienced something like this. It was really like a magical afternoon, and I can see we’re creating something here.”

Canada came close to turning the tide, spurning two clear first-half chances and seeing two efforts cleared off the line after the break. Yet Bosnia’s disciplined defending held firm, frustrating the hosts in the closing stages.

Defender Luc de Fougerolles called the result “bittersweet,” pointing to the missed opportunities but praising the reaction after going behind.

Head coach Jesse Marsch, meanwhile, looked ahead to Vancouver, where Canada will seek their elusive first World Cup win. “How awesome was that sea of red?” he said. “Vancouver will do the same—push us, give us confidence, make it feel like home.”