Canada vs. Qatar live updates: Fans turn B.C. Place Vancouver into a sea of red ahead of World Cup match

SPECIAL insurance coverage | Fans come down on george vancouver for Canada-Qatar domain Cup match

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Players can be suspended in the World Cup group stage if they accumulate two yellow cards across separate matches. 

That means defenders Luc de Fougerolles and Alistair Johnston are at risk of missing Canada's match against Switzerland if they're yellow-carded today. They both picked up yellows during last week's match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Fortunately for Canadians, this is the first World Cup where yellow cards do not carry over from the group stage. That means if De Fougerolles and Johnston get carded in the Round of 32 or Round of 16, they will not be suspended for the next knockout game if Canada qualifies for it.

That said, they could be suspended for the Round of 32 if they get carded while playing against the Swiss. Although all yellow cards will reset after the group stage, if a player collects two yellows before that reset, they will still be suspended for the next game.

Yellow cards will also be reset after the quarterfinals. 

On the Qatari side, goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada and Jassem Gaber are the two players who could be suspended for matchday three.

I'm reporting from the FIFA Fan Fest in Toronto where the opening was delayed after heavy rain this morning.  

There have been a few weather disruptions since Fan Fest began last week. Some fans tell me they are frustrated but still trying to remain positive and support their teams. 

The grounds are now starting to fill up with lots of Canada jerseys in the mix ahead of today's match.

Thunderous roar as the Canadian team runs onto the B.C. Place field for warmup, with game time less than one hour away. 

The stadium is still 90 per cent empty but fans are psyched. The Qatari team is met by boos as they run out, but gets some love from the two supporter sections of fans who are now on their feet madly waving Qatar flags.

Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui has gone with the same starting 11 that drew with Switzerland.

Mahmud Abunada retains his position in goal after an inspired performance against the Swiss. He's supported by a defensive four of Pedro Miguel, Ayoub Al-Oui, Homam Ahmed and captain Boualem Khoukhi.

Jassem Gaber, Assim Madibo and Issa Laye make up the midfield three. 

Edmilson Junior, Yusuf Abdurisag and superstar Akram Afif retain their positions in attack, with Almoez Ali once again starting on the bench. 

In Group B's other match today, Switzerland beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1 after a late flurry of goals in Los Angeles. 

The Swiss now go top of the group with four points and a goal differential of plus-three. That means Canada needs to win by four goals today to leapfrog them. 

Canada hosts Switzerland in Vancouver in their final group game on June 24. 

If the Canadians top the group, they will play their Round of 32 game in Vancouver — and could play a Round of 16 game in the city, too, if they progress. 

But if Canada qualifies as a second- or third-place team, it will play its knockout games in the United States, losing its home advantage.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemović was shown a red card late in today's game against Switzerland, meaning he's suspended and will miss his side's final group game against Qatar. 

Canada's starting 11 is in and Cyle Larin is back in the lineup, leading the attack alongside Jonathan David. 

In midfield, Ali Ahmed slots in for Liam Millar. Stephen Eustáquio captains the squad again, with Ismaël Koné and Tajon Buchanan retaining their positions.

Canada sticks with Maxime Crépeau in goal and the defence also remains the same: a back four of Richie Laryea, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles and Alistair Johnston.

There are so many people down at B.C. Place in Canada's colours. It's a sea of red. The downside is, everyone is on their phones taking photos and livestreaming the action, which means cell service is not great.

There are also a lot of police. We heard earlier from the Vancouver Police Department that the entire force would be part of security for the event, as well as officers from other jurisdictions. 

Some are decked out in full gear, which must make things very hot.

The march has ended at Carrall Street, and fans are now making their way into B.C. Place. There are thousands upon thousands of Canada supporters here, but a handful of Qatar fans have wandered in with the march, too.

I spoke with some fans who came over from Salt Spring Island this morning. It'll be a long day with two little ones in tow, they said, but worth it.

Just off the side of the seawall, an Indigenous artisan market featuring a wide variety of products has been set up. 

Mercedes Deutscher of Salmon n' Bannock said they're setting up for each game at B.C. Place. 

"It's been a really great opportunity to get the word out there about the restaurant, kind of sharing our business with a wider audience, said Deutscher, who is Red River Métis. "It's been great talking to locals." 

She said the Australians marching by on Saturday were the loudest, most enthusiastic crew she's seen so far.

It's easy to think Canada has today's game in the bag, especially after looking at Qatar's FIFA ranking, their recent form (one win in their last 13 games) and Switzerland's statistical domination in their opener.

But as an avid viewer of Asian soccer (#YallaLebanon), I'm warning that Qatar is a side that shouldn't be underestimated.

The Maroons probably play their best soccer when they're not under pressure to perform. Their 2022 World Cup performance — and the high expectations that came with hosting it — was sandwiched between two surprising AFC Asian Cup championships.

Across those two title runs, Qatar beat the likes of Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Iraq, Jordan and Uzbekistan — all teams currently playing in this year's World Cup.

Qatar currently boasts two-time AFC Asian Footballer of the Year Akram Afif, who's by far the most gifted player on this squad. Lively and clinical attacker Almoez Ali, who scored 12 goals in 2026 World Cup qualifiers, is also someone they can call upon, though he didn't make an appearance against Switzerland.

Is Canada still the clear favourite? Yes, no question about it. But the Maroons have shown when the pressure is off and the odds are against them, they can grab a surprising result.

Canada must be more clinical than the Swiss were on Saturday to kill off any chances of suffering a similar shock result.

Cyle Larin snapped a 14-game goalless drought in games with the national team when he struck a sizzling half-volley to equalize for the co-hosts against Bosnia-Herzegovina last Friday.

It was a goal struck with the venom of a man who was not happy to start on the bench in Canada's historic 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.  

The question now is: Who starts up top?

Larin's critics had called for the striker to start on the bench following his drought — he hadn't scored for Les Rouges since 2024. But the Brampton, Ont., native believes his goal "showed today I should be playing."

It can be argued that Tani Oluwaseyi brings more to the table than Larin in terms of build-up and creating chances. He provided the assist for both goals in Canada's 2-0 win over Uzbekistan in a June 1 friendly match.

But Oluwaseyi doesn't have much of a finishing instinct. He's only scored two goals in 25 international appearances, with his last coming a full year ago.

This isn't usually a problem in a two-man strike partnership with Jonathan David, Canada's all-time top scorer with 39 goals. But David is on his own dry spell going into today's match. He hasn't scored since a double against Iceland on March 28. His last non-penalty goal came against Romania on Sept. 5, 2025.

Promise David is the other pick and he's looked exciting in his recent substitute appearances. But he's still taking things moment by moment since rupturing a hip tendon in February. The fact he's even an option for the World Cup is, honestly, miraculous. 

The starting 11 usually comes out about an hour before kickoff, so we'll find out soon if coach Jesse Marsch is rewarding the Brampton Bagsman for his goal or sticking with Oluwaseyi.

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