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I'm at the Toronto FIFA Fan Festival, where people from all over the country are lining up. I'm outside the event after yesterday's event was cut short due to severe weather. Lots of people are sporting red and ready cheering on Canada ahead of today's match. 

Before entering the stadium, I spoke to some Canadian soccer fans outside of the FIFA Fan Festival.

Some of them were from Toronto, others had flown in from as far away as Halifax. 

A few of them said they're nervous. Others were quite calm. But all of them were excited for the World Cup to come to Canada — and they had big expectations for the home team.

With a relatively easy group and the possibility for some third-placed teams to make it out of the group stage, everyone I spoke to believed getting out of their group and into the Round of 32 was the minimum goal for the Canadians.

That's a big expectation for a national team that has lost all six World Cup games it has played so far. But with some fans describing this side as the best team Canada has ever fielded, it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Some members of Canada's team have walked out onto the field to take a look at the pitch. 

The fans who have made it in — I’d say the seats are about half-full now — have greeted them with cheers.

We're getting close to the opening ceremony.

I'll be providing play-by-play of the action on the pitch this afternoon, live from the media tribune here at Toronto Stadium. 

Earlier today I spoke to father and daughter Ray and Lisa Wagner, two excited Canadians who are attending today's match. They told me Canada has a "real chance" of qualifying from their group, and could maybe reach the Round of 16.

"But first, to win the first game ever in a World Cup is a big event for Canada," Ray told me. "And the team has done so well in terms of its rating. It's moved up so many spaces."

"So, the future is great for Canadian soccer."

This was the line at the FIFA Fan Festival in Vancouver about an hour ago. 

It's much shorter than what we saw yesterday morning before the Mexico versus South Africa match — where we saw the line stretch all the way out the gate and onto the street. 

Some fans we spoke to say Canadians need to step up for their national team; others say they have hope fans will come out closer to kickoff time.

Hi, I'm Jessica Cheung, reporting from the FIFA Fan Festival within the PNE Grounds at Hastings Park in Vancouver, where some fans are already lining up to watch the match.

One family I spoke with had split allegiances — sporting Canada and Bosnia gear. 

"Being Bosnian and Canadian, it means the world to me for them to play on one field," said Marizela Tolea.

"I am beyond excited and happy to be here with my boys and cherish this moment."

And when I asked them who they would be cheering for, they all said: "Both teams!"

Canada's World Cup opening ceremony is about to begin at Toronto Stadium with about an hour and half to go before Les Rouges take to the pitch. 

Organizers have promised a stacked lineup featuring performances from established and emerging artists including Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, Alessia Carea, William Prince and Jessie Reyez.

FIFA says the ceremony will begin with a "journey across Canada" that reflects the country from coast to coast. 

"Through music that reflects the energy and diversity of the tournament, the show will connect fans in Toronto to celebrations unfolding across Canada, Mexico and the United States," the organization said in a news release.

Some quick observations from my 30-minute walk down Dufferin Street to the stadium — the quieter route compared to the Canadian parade: 

There are volunteers everywhere near the perimeter, so even though there appears to be a maze of fencing, fans likely won't get lost. One volunteer, rather creatively, was using a foam finger to point the way. 

Canada's Voyageurs met face-to-face with Bosnia-Herzegovina fans approaching the Toronto Stadium. Playful boo-ing took over both sides, with some shaking hands ahead of the match this afternoon. 

Bosnian fans Sarah-Leila Boball and Lara Hrvat, who came to Toronto just for the game, said they expect their team will win today's match against Canada. 

"We have potential," Boball said. "I feel outnumbered, but I think at the stadium it's going to be way more Bosnians."

Ben Cobbold and Liam Delaney wore mounted police costumes to the Voyageurs parade Friday. They felt it represented Canada well. 

"Here we are, hosting a World Cup; I've been waiting my whole life for this," said Cobbold. "Now it's about bringing people that aren't a fan of the sport to become a fan of the sport to really showcase what Canadian soccer means."

Cobbold was at the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022. He watched Alphonso Davies score Canada's first goal against Croatia. 

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