TODAY AT THE WORLD CUP

Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
Toronto Stadium -17 .00 GMT
Preview
Canada face Bosnia & Herzegovina on Friday evening at BMO Field in Toronto in what amounts to a pivotal early-group test for a side carrying genuine knockout ambitions for the first time. Jesse Marsch’s side have spent two years building towards this tournament, and the home advantage, crowd noise, and depth of individual talent should make them difficult opponents on a big occasion. The narrative weight of this golden generation finally performing at a home World Cup is substantial.

Bosnia & Herzegovina arrive with a clear tactical identity and the mentality to grind results out of difficult situations. Sergej Barbarez’s side beat Wales and then Italy on penalties to reach this tournament, showing a resilience in tight, low-scoring matches that will test Canada’s patience. They are not here to concede space and play open football, and Marsch’s high press will need to be disciplined to break down a well-drilled mid-block.

The key battleground is likely to be Canada’s ability to create quality chances against a defensively organised Bosnian unit. Canada’s recent form has included too many goalless draws against mid-level opposition, which is a concern when facing a side that is comfortable taking a point. The presence of Jonathan David and Buchanan gives Canada a genuine cutting edge, but the hosts will need more than neat possession to win this game.

Canada’s recent warm-up results are a mixed picture. All five matches have been friendlies, and while the win over Venezuela and the draw with Iceland show attacking intent on occasion, the pattern of goalless draws against Ecuador and Colombia points to a side that can struggle to break down organised defences. The quality of opposition in those friendlies is reasonable, and Marsch’s pressing system is still clearly a work in progress in front of goal.

Bosnia & Herzegovina’s form is notably stronger in competitive context. All four of their World Cup qualifying results in the final phase came against UEFA opposition, including draws against Italy and Austria and a commanding 3-1 win over Romania. The wins on penalties against Wales and Italy in the play-offs reinforced a side that holds its shape under pressure. Four consecutive competitive draws and wins without defeat shows consistency, even if the 1-1 scorelines suggest they do not dominate possession.

Head to head
Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina have never met in an international fixture. This is a first competitive encounter between the two nations, and there is no head-to-head history to draw meaningful conclusions from at any level. The absence of prior meetings makes form, tactical approach, and individual quality the primary basis for assessment.

Team news
The major fitness concern for Canada is Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich left-back, widely regarded as the most important player in the squad, has been managing a hamstring issue and is expected to miss this opener against Bosnia & Herzegovina. His absence is significant: Davies’s pace down the left and ability to stretch defences in transitions is a core component of how Marsch’s side functions at its best. Canada will be a more cautious side without him.

Jonathan David, now with Juventus, is fit and expected to lead the line. David is Canada’s primary goal threat and has been in sharp recent form for club and country. Stephen Eustaquio, Tajon Buchanan, and Ismail Kone are all expected to be available. Richie Laryea, with 75 caps, is likely to fill in at right-back or cover the left flank in Davies’s absence.

Bosnia & Herzegovina have no major injuries flagged ahead of the match. Edin Dzeko, at 40, remains the reference point up front despite his age and Schalke 04 club situation. Ermedin Demirovic of VfB Stuttgart and the experienced Sead Kolassinac of Atalanta are expected to start. Amar Dedic at right-back is one of the most dynamic players in the squad and a key attacking outlet for Barbarez’s side. Benjamin Tahirovic and Amir Hadziahmetovic are expected to provide the midfield engine room.

Predicted lineups
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Crepeau; Laryea, Cornelius, Bombito, de Fougerolles;  Eustaquio, Kone; Buchanan, Osorio, Shaffelburg;  J. David
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Hadzikadunic, Kolassinac; Hadziahmetovic, Tahirovic; Bajraktarevic,  Gigovic, Demirovic; Dzeko

Key tactical matchup
The central contest is likely to be between Canada’s wide attackers and Bosnia & Herzegovina’s defensive block. With Davies absent, Buchanan at right wing and the left flank covering become Canada’s primary outlets for carrying the ball into dangerous areas. Bosnia’s 4-2-3-1 sits compact and is designed to deny central access, funnelling wide play into crossing situations where Kolassinac and Katic have clear aerial advantages. Canada’s best route to goal will likely be through quick combination play between Eustaquio, David, and Buchanan in the half-spaces, rather than direct wide delivery. If Bosnia’s double pivot of Hadziahmetovic and Tahirovic can control the central lane, Canada may find sustained pressure difficult to generate.

United States vs Paraguay
Los Angeles Stadium -1 a.m GMT
Preview
The United States open as favourites in a fixture carrying enormous weight for the host nation. Pochettino’s side have been building towards this moment since his appointment in August 2024, and the pressure of a home World Cup brings both motivation and scrutiny in equal measure. A settled, experienced core around Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie is expected to set the tempo, with Paraguay tasked with disrupting that rhythm through disciplined structure.

Paraguay, under Gustavo Alfaro, arrive as compact, defensively organised opponents rather than free-flowing attackers. Their route through CONMEBOL qualifying was measured and tight, conceding only three goals in their last six qualifying matches, and Alfaro’s pragmatic approach is likely to produce a deep defensive block designed to frustrate the United States and exploit any space on the counter-attack. Miguel Almirón’s movement and Julio Enciso’s directness from forward positions represent their clearest threats going forward.

The game is likely to be decided by the United States’ ability to break down an organised Paraguayan shape. If Pochettino’s high-press system functions as intended, chances should materialise for Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi. However, Paraguay’s experience in low-scoring qualifying contests suggests they will not be opened up easily, and a narrow winning margin is the most plausible outcome.

The United States’ recent form is uneven. The March 2026 friendlies against Portugal and Belgium exposed defensive vulnerabilities at the highest level, but the late-2025 run that included wins over Paraguay, Uruguay and Australia showed the attacking potential of this squad when functioning properly. The losses to Portugal and Belgium came against top-ten European opposition, so the context matters, though the 5-2 defeat to Belgium will concern Pochettino heading into the tournament.

Paraguay’s recent form reflects a side that can hold their own in tight matches but struggles to impose themselves on stronger opponents away from home. The win over Greece and the notable victory over Mexico in November 2025 demonstrate a capacity to produce results when organised, but consecutive losses to South Korea and the United States in 2025 point to limitations against press-heavy, athletic sides, which is precisely what they face here.

Head to head
These two sides have met nine times in total, with the United States holding a clear advantage in the all-time record. The last five competitive and friendly meetings tell a consistent story.
United States 2-1 Paraguay — Friendly, November 2025
United States 1-0 Paraguay — Friendly, March 2018
United States 1-0 Paraguay — Copa America, June 2016
United States 0-1 Paraguay — Friendly, March 2011
United States 1-3 Paraguay — Copa America, July 2007

The United States have won three of the last five meetings, including both Copa America encounters and the most recent friendly in November 2025. Paraguay’s only wins in recent history came in 2011 and the 2007 Copa America, and the last three meetings have all gone the way of the United States. That November 2025 result is particularly relevant given the overlap in squad personnel heading into the World Cup.

Team news
The United States have no confirmed injury absences from their announced squad heading into Matchday 2. The squad announced by Pochettino includes the full complement of key players, with Christian Pulisic fit and available alongside midfield leaders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. The only question marks surround tactical selection rather than availability, with competition for places in midfield and attack giving Pochettino multiple options.

Paraguay similarly have their full squad available for the Group D fixture. Gustavo Gómez is fit and expected to captain the side from central defence, while Julio Enciso and Miguel Almirón are available in attacking positions. Antonio Sanabria is expected to lead the line as the primary centre-forward. Alfaro has no reported suspensions entering this match.

Both squads were formally announced ahead of the tournament, and there are no reported late injuries or fitness concerns from either camp at the time of writing.

Predicted lineups
United States Predicted XI (4-3-3): Turner; Dest, C. Richards, A. Robinson, McKenzie; T. Adams (c), McKennie, Tillman; Weah, Pepi, Pulisic

Paraguay Predicted XI (4-4-2): Gatito Fernandez; J.J. Caceres, G. Gomez (c), Junior Alonso, Alderete; Sosa, A. Cubas, D. Gomez, Almirón; Enciso,

Key tactical matchup
The central contest is likely to be Pochettino’s high-press midfield unit against Paraguay’s organised mid-block. Tyler Adams, with 54 caps at Bournemouth, anchors the press and screens the back line, while Weston McKennie’s box-to-box range adds a second wave of pressure. Against this, Alfaro will ask Andrés Cubas and Diego Gómez to absorb pressure and recycle possession quickly, releasing Almirón in transition. If Adams and McKennie can limit Paraguay’s time on the ball through the centre, the attacking line of Pulisic, Pepi and Weah should have space to exploit in behind a back four that conceded three goals in six CONMEBOL qualifying games.

Weekend fixtures
Saturday, 13 June 2026
Haiti v Scotland – Group C – Boston Stadium Australia v Türkiye – Group D – BC Place Vancouver

Brazil v Morocco – Group C – New York New Jersey Stadium

Qatar v Switzerland – Group B – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium

Sunday, 14 June 2026
Côte d’Ivoire v Ecuador – Group E – Philadelphia Stadium

Germany v Curaçao – Group E – Houston Stadium

Netherlands v Japan – Group F – Dallas Stadium

Sweden v Tunisia – Group F – Estadio Monterrey