Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina prediction, lineups & tips: World Cup 2026 Group B opener

Canada kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Friday evening at BMO Field in Toronto, the first men's World Cup match ever played on Canadian soil. The occasion could hardly carry more weight. Jesse Marsch's side have never won a World Cup match in their history, losing all six of their previous games across 1986 and 2022, and there is a genuine belief in this camp that Group B, which also contains Qatar and Switzerland, offers the best chance yet to change that record. Bosnia & Herzegovina stand between Canada and a dream opening three points.

Canada qualified automatically as co-hosts, marking their third World Cup appearance and their first back-to-back participation. Marsch, who has guided the side to an eight-match unbeaten run in 2026 and won six clean sheets during that sequence, is under no illusions about what this match means. "My job is to get them fit, get them prepared, have everyone understand what their roles are and let them go play," he told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. The warm-up schedule told a broadly positive story: a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan was followed by a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland, though goal-scoring has been a persistent concern. Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, Canada's two most prolific forwards, are both short of form for the national team, and the home crowd will demand they find their best at last.

At club level, the picture is strong. David recorded eight goals and five assists at Juventus during a mixed debut Serie A season, while Larin notched eight goals in just 853 minutes for Championship side Southampton after joining in January. The problem is that neither has translated that form to the international stage of late. David has scored just once in his last 10 international appearances outside of two penalty-kick goals against Iceland in March. Larin is goalless in 14 games for Canada.

Bosnia & Herzegovina arrived at this tournament via the most dramatic of routes. Sergej Barbarez's side beat Wales on penalties in Cardiff, then repeated the feat against Italy, sending the four-time world champions out of a third straight World Cup, to qualify for only their second tournament. Only two survivors remain from the 2014 squad: the 40-year-old Edin Dzeko and defender Sead Kolasinac. Dzeko scored six goals in nine qualifying matches and added 10 more in the 2. Bundesliga with Schalke 04 this season, setting the record as the oldest goalscorer in the division's history. He starts here.

Barbarez, a former professional poker player who had never coached at senior level before his April 2024 appointment, has built his side around identity and resilience rather than possession. After the final warm-up, a 1-1 draw against Panama, he said: "Nothing was handed to us; we achieved everything through hard work and determination." His side will sit deep, absorb Canada's press, and hunt the counter through Dzeko and PSV Eindhoven winger Esmir Bajraktarevic. The approach eliminated Italy. Canada will need to be more clinical than their recent form suggests.

Marsch was asked about Bosnia during the draw process and showed genuine respect for what they have achieved. "I have a lot of respect for what Bosnia has achieved, what those players have been through, and I know we're in for a really difficult first match," he told OneSoccer.

With Davies confirmed absent, Tajon Buchanan is likely to operate from the right and Liam Millar on the left. Marsch is expected to persist with a David-Larin partnership up front and lean on Stephen Eustaquio to control the midfield tempo. The goalkeeping position remains in doubt: Marsch split minutes between Dayne St. Clair and Maxime Crépeau against Uzbekistan in the build-up. If Koné misses out, Jonathan Osorio or Richie Laryea could step in.

For Bosnia, Barbarez is unlikely to deviate from the side that knocked out Italy. Nikola Vasilj starts in goal. The back line is expected to be Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic and Kolasinac, with Bajraktarevic and Alajbegovic providing width and Dzeko leading the line. The international manager tends to rotate less than his reputation suggests, this group got here together, and he will want the same energy from minute one.

Canada: Crepeau; Johnston, Cornelius, Jones, Laryea; Buchanan, Eustaquio, Osorio, Millar; David, Larin

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Tahirovic, Gigovic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko

Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday, 12 June 2026 at BMO Field in Toronto. The match is live on BBC One in the UK, with streaming available via BBC iPlayer. Fox carries the game in the United States.