Canada's World Cup moment arrives at home

Toronto, Canada: "The moment is now," Canada coach Jesse Marsch declared on the evening before the country's first ever World Cup match on home soil. forestarrow.help

He was referring to his players, but for Canadian football fans coloring downtown Toronto in red jerseys on Friday morning, the same message applied.

Growing up in the capital Ottawa, 26-year-old Dakota Boal told AFP he would "always be the only one playing soccer," with hockey and baseball far more popular among his peers.

"In the last (few) years, ever since we got into the (2022) World Cup, it feels like it's exploded," he said, before dashing into an Uber to head to the match.

It was a common theme among the supporters filtering towards the stadium ahead of kickoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina: a sport whose popularity has been growing in Canada for decades, finally set for a moment on the world stage.

Erin Clement is a teacher and football coach in Guelph, about 100 kilometres west of Toronto.

As she headed towards the stadium with her sister and a friend, she told AFP all three of her daughters play soccer, and every tournament she organizes at her school is full.

"At the youth level, it's extremely popular," she said, voicing confidence that the World Cup could jolt the sport to a new level.

"We've already felt it, just being here," she said, praising a surge of football enthusiasm permeating across the city as she walked with thousands of others towards the stadium hours before kickoff.

Henri Balcazar, who planned to watch at a fan zone near the stadium, said he was raised playing football, partly due to his Peruvian father.

He and his friends with South American backgrounds have watched as the game's popularity has grown around them, but having the World Cup at home marked a new milestone.

"I never expected it to happen in Canada," he said.

Canada is hosting 13 matches in a tournament also hosted by the United States and Mexico.

Doha, Qatar: Four years ago, Qatar’s World Cup debut never truly got going. A nervy opening defeat to Ecuador set the tone for a difficult campaign that ended without a point and with hopes fading before the knockout rounds even came into view.

As Al Annabi prepare to begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara tomorrow, head coach Julen Lopetegui will be hoping for a far brighter start.

The stakes are significant as the reigning Asian champions enter their second consecutive World Cup with ambitions of reaching the knockout stage for the first time, but their toughest Group B assignment arrives immediately against a Switzerland side dubbed the favourites to finish top of the section.

Switzerland bring experience, consistency and a squad packed with players competing at the highest levels of European football.

Murat Yakin’s side have progressed from the group stage at each of the last three World Cups and reached the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

This is Switzerland’s 13th World Cup appearance and they arrived in North America unbeaten in qualifying, winning four and drawing two of their six matches.

Led by captain Granit Xhaka, Switzerland also possess valuable World Cup experience throughout the squad. Xhaka is preparing for his fourth successive World Cup, while Ricardo Rodriguez is also set for a fourth appearance.

Five members of Yakin’s squad are competing at their third World Cup, giving the Swiss a core group accustomed to the demands and pressure of major tournaments.

Qatar’s preparations have not been entirely smooth. Planned high-profile friendlies against Argentina national football team and Serbia national football team were cancelled due to regional tensions, limiting opportunities to test themselves against elite oppositions before travelling to North America.

Even so, Lopetegui has remained encouraged by the work completed during training camps at home and in the United States. Qatar closed their preparations with a 1-0 defeat to Ireland and a goalless draw against El Salvador, results that highlighted both the team’s defensive organisation and their continuing search for greater attacking efficiency.

Lopetegui has made no secret of the challenge awaiting his side against Switzerland.

“Switzerland are a huge challenge in all aspects,” Lopetegui said recently, pointing to the quality, experience and tactical discipline that have made the Swiss regular competitors at major tournaments.

For Qatar, the task will be to avoid a repeat of the slow start that undermined their campaign in 2022. Defensive concentration will be essential against a Swiss side capable of controlling possession and punishing mistakes, while Qatar must also show greater attacking ambition than they managed in their opening World Cup appearance against Ecuador.

Much of that responsibility will fall on Akram Afif, Qatar’s leading creative force, and Almoez Ali, the country’s all-time leading scorer, who continues his return to full fitness after an injury-interrupted season. Midfielders Assim Madibo and Ahmed Fathy are expected to play important roles in helping Qatar compete physically and tactically against a well-drilled opponent.

Lopetegui has repeatedly stressed that Qatar are not travelling to the World Cup simply to participate.

“In theory, they may be stronger than us, but they have to prove that on the pitch. Our job is to defend our chances and compete from the first minute,” the coach said.

That message may be particularly important in the opening match. With Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina still to come, a positive result against the group favourites would significantly strengthen Qatar’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

أثار نجم كرة القدم المصرية السابق والمحلل الرياضي محمد أبو تريكة موجة واسعة من التفاعلات عبر منصات التواصل الاجتماعي، إثر تصريحات انتقد فيها المعايير المزدوجة في تنظيم البطولات الرياضية الكبرى، ومحاولات بعض الدول استخدام الرياضة أداةً لتبييض صورتها السياسية.
واعتبر أبو تريكة الذي تحدث عبر قنوات بين سبورتس في افتتاح المونديال بين مواجهة المكسيك وجنوب إفريقيا ، أن نسخة مونديال قطر 2022 تظل الأفضل تربعاً على عرش التنظيم في تاريخ البطولة على الإطلاق.
وشن النجم المصري هجوماً لاذعاً على النسخ المونديالية الأخرى، مؤكداً أن من يريد غسل سمعته السياسية يلجأ إلى تنظيم كأس العالم، في إشارة إلى دول كبرى تشارك في حرب الإبادة الجماعية الدائرة ضد الشعب الفلسطيني في قطاع غزة، وتشن حروباً على دول أخرى، بل وصل الحد ببعضها إلى خطف رئيس دولة أخرى من منزله، ثم تأتي اليوم لتنظيم المونديال بادعاء نشر الديمقراطية. وتوقع النجم المصري أن تشهد النسخة الحالية من كأس العالم مشكلات فنية وتنظيمية كبيرة، مبيناً أن بعض هذه الأزمات بدأ في الظهور بالفعل حتى قبل حفل الافتتاح، ومقارناً ذلك بالنجاح الباهر والراحة الفنية التي تميزت بها نسخة قطر السابقة، والتي وضعت معايير تعجيزية لمن يأتي بعدها. وأضاف: «سنشاهد أفشل كأس عالم، لأن المشكلات بدأت من عدم حضور الحكام، ومشكلات ملاعب، ومشكلات طقس، ومشكلات تنظيم».
وشكلت نسخة كأس العالم التي استضافتها دولة قطر في عام 2022 علامة فارقة في تاريخ الرياضة الدولية، حيث وصفت من جانب الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم (فيفا) والعديد من الخبراء بأنها النسخة الأفضل من حيث التنظيم والأمان والتقارب الجغرافي.
ونجحت الدوحة في تقديم تجربة استثنائية عبر بنية تحتية متطورة شملت 8 ملاعب مشيدة وفق أحدث التصاميم المعمارية العالمية، ومجهزة بنظام تبريد مبتكر صديق للبيئة، وتميزت هذه البطولة بـ»تقارب المسافات»، وهو ما أتاح للجماهير فرصة حضور أكثر من مباراة واحدة في اليوم ذاته، بفضل شبكة مترو الدوحة المتطورة التي ربطت بين الملاعب ومناطق المشجعين بكل سهولة ويسر.
وعلى الصعيد الأمني والاجتماعي، سجل المونديال خلوا تاما من أي مشكلات أمنية كبرى، وجرى الاحتفاء به كنسخة عائلية بامتياز حظيت بترحيب واسع من الأسر والمشجعين من مختلف الثقافات، نظراً لالتزام الدولة المنظمة بهويتها وقيمها العربية والشرقية، مما أسهم في تبديد الصور النمطية وتصدير صورة حضارية مشرقة عن المنطقة إلى العالم بأسره.