Minutes after the final whistle blew on Canada’s historic World Cup victory against South Africa on Sunday, coach Jesse Marsch gathered his players and staff in a huge huddle. “Canadian heroes,” he called them, after they won a knockout game at the tournament for the first time to reach the last 16. “The future of the sport in this country is huge because of you.”
Canada have quietly transformed from a nation whose first love is ice hockey into one that is starting to be known for “football now, not soccer”, as one fan put it before the match. Captain Alphonso Davies said he cried at seeing so many fans clad in red and white in Toronto for their opening game against Bosnia-Herzegovina. “It was surreal because I’ve never seen so many Canadians at a football match before,” he said before the win against South Africa.
“Canada reach World Cup last 16 for first time while Mexico win all group games without conceding.”
The country’s tournament began with a historic point against Bosnia-Herzegovina, followed by a first-ever World Cup win as they thrashed Qatar 6-0. A defeat by Switzerland denied them the chance to play their last-32 game in Canada, but their fans travelled in huge numbers to Los Angeles to cheer them on.
Meanwhile, fellow co-host Mexico have completed a perfect group stage: three wins from three, no goals conceded. It is the first time since 1986 that El Tri have advanced beyond the last 16, and there is hope that 2026 can be a year of firsts. “It’s been one of their most successful World Cup campaigns so far,” Mexican media have noted. Only a handful of teams have ever won all three group games without conceding a goal.
Mexico will face Ecuador in the round of 32 on Tuesday night at the Estadio Azteca, where they have lost just two of 88 official games. Ecuador earned their place with a 2-1 win over Germany, inspired by goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata. “It’s difficult to see past Mexico as favourites,” observers say, given their home record and perfect group stage.
For Canada, the road continues after a run that has already changed the face of football in the country. As Marsch said, the future of the sport is huge because of them.