The path is determined, but not fully known.
Sitting in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday afternoon, the 2026 FIFA World Cup began to feel more real for Canada men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch.
Amid the fanfare, Canada learned their journey and the challenges that await at Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver’s BC Place during the group stage.
Les Rouges will open the World Cup in Toronto on June 12 against the UEFA Playoff Path A winner, meaning one of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Wales or Northern Ireland. They'll then face Qatar (June 18) and Switzerland (June 24) on the West Coast.
“We're excited to know our opponents. It's not the toughest, it's not the easiest, and it's a little bit weird not knowing what your third opponent is, but we're excited about the opportunity,” Marsch said after the draw.
“You start to realize how big it is when you see the kind of people that were in the room... It's time to start the preparation. Our staff is already downloading videos and starting to look at each opponent and starting to analyze what things will be important for each team.”
No easy game
Leading up to the draw, Marsch was clear about one preference – he didn’t want Erling Haaland’s Norway. Despite avoiding that outcome, Canada arguably got the toughest draw of the three host countries compared to Mexico and the United States.
While Qatar are likely to be their easiest opponent in the second match, the World Cup opener against potentially four-time World Cup champions Italy is about as hard as it gets from Pot 4.
Meanwhile, Switzerland have advanced past the group stage in the last three World Cups.
“I think we’ve got a fairly even group. Switzerland and Qatar are two good teams, especially Switzerland. They played two of our Concacaf rivals in Mexico and the USMNT and beat them comfortably," Vancouver Whitecaps FC winger Ali Ahmed told TSN from Fort Lauderdale ahead of MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi.
“[If we play] Italy, they’re a team that should have qualified already. They’ve got top players playing in top teams."
Preparations shift
With two opponents locked in and a potential glimpse of what's to come through the UEFA Playoff, Canada’s final four friendlies in the March and June windows become more critical.
While no opponents have been announced, Marsch was confident they would prepare his group, and the 189 days between the draw and the tournament provide plenty of scouting opportunities.
“Two and a half of them, I think, are actually good comparisons for what we're going to be playing against,” Marsch said.
“In theory, these opponents like the ball, so with us being a very intense team against the ball, it could be a good matchup for us. But there's still a lot of quality.”
Mass support
While Canada’s draw may have been more challenging than hoped, the team has the support of two key Canadians – NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and Prime Minister Mark Carney, both of whom drew Canada and their opponents at FIFA's official event.
Carney has been a staunch soccer supporter for decades and is a noted Everton fan from his time as the Governor of the Bank of England. He recently addressed the CanMNT during an October friendly against Australia.
Gretzky also spent some time with Marsch’s squad at a November friendly against Venezuela.
“Prime Minister Carney has been a big supporter of our team, and I know everybody in Canada is so excited about what the team has accomplished and to have our best team ever for a home World Cup,” Marsch added.
"What an incredible opportunity this World Cup will provide our country... We now know our group opponents and will spend every opportunity preparing for the matches ahead. It’s time for the nation to rally around our team, the people’s team.”
