The Canadian national soccer team has set a goal of winning its first World Cup title and advancing to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup. Canada lost all three games in the 1986 and 2022 World Cups, but this time they are aiming to advance to the round of 16 by utilizing their home advantage. The Canadian national team is ranked 27th in the FIFA rankings and is in a tight relationship with Korea with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
The Canadian national soccer team (27th in FIFA rankings), one of the co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup, has set a goal of advancing to the round of 16 by notching its first win in World Cup history. If they pass the group stage in second place, they will meet the second-place team in Group A, which includes Korea, in the round of 32, which has added to their confidence that any team can give it a try.
Canadian media outlet Sportsnet revealed expectations for the Canadian national team to advance to the round of 16 of the World Cup in an article predicting the soccer world in 2026 on the 28th (Korean time). Canada has participated in the World Cup finals twice, in the 1986 Mexico World Cup and the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and was eliminated with 3 losses in each, making it a team that has lost all 6 matches in the World Cup. The FIFA ranking was also the lowest among Pot 1 teams in the World Cup finals draw.
The media said, “The Canadian national team, which has lost all 6 matches, is expected to finally turn things around at home next summer. They can not only achieve their first win in the World Cup but also reach the round of 16. Of course, the group stage schedule is not easy. They have to meet Italy (assuming victory in the UEFA playoffs) from the opening game and play a fierce final match with Switzerland. However, the second game is against Qatar, one of the weakest teams among the 48 participating countries.”
He continued, “Qatar is a game that Canada can definitely win. By making the most of their home advantage, they will be able to advance to the tournament with four points in the group stage. If they finish second in Group B, they will face the second-place team in Group A. The second place in Group A is likely to be Korea, South Africa, or Mexico. Mexico will not be able to threaten Canada as much as it did in the past. Looking at Canada’s current best 11 strength and bench members, which team in Group A is the best?” “I am confident that I have the skills to give it a try even when I meet with the team,” he said.
According to the actual 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup tournament bracket, the runners-up in Group A and Group B will compete to advance to the round of 16. Korea was in Group A with Mexico, South Africa, and the winner of the UEFA Playoffs (PO) Pass D (Denmark, Czech Republic, Ireland, North Macedonia). Group B consists of the winners of UEFA PO Pass A, which includes Italy, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Northern Ireland in addition to Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar. Assuming Italy passes the PO, the FIFA rankings show that Italy is 12th, Switzerland is 17th, and Canada is 27th, but Canada is aiming to advance to the round of 32 by taking second place in the group by taking advantage of its home advantage.
In this process, the local media is confident that it will be worth a shot no matter which team ranked second in Group A, including Korea, is met. This also means that Group A’s strength is not viewed highly. Canada is led by coach Jesse March (USA), who was once a candidate for the Korean national team’s head coach, and is evaluated to be showing formidable competitiveness by defeating Honduras 6-0 in June of this year and defeating European teams Romania and Wales 3-0 and 1-0 on enemy territory. The FIFA ranking, which was 50th in February of last year, also rose vertically, reaching 27th place. Their previous record against Korea is tight with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
