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I'm at Science World now for the start of the Canada fans' march towards B.C. Place. Leaders are frantically trying to organize the happy chaos of thousands of fans decked out in red. Here we go!

A Vancouver police team on horseback is clearing the route. It's an incredible scene.

How invested are Canada fans today? I caught up with this group earlier, who were first in line to get into B.C. Place for today's game. They arrived at the entry gate at 8 a.m. PT, one hour before doors opened and four hours before kickoff!

Bunny Horne from Port Coquitlam said arriving early helps keep her nerves in check. "You either pace at home or you pace out here," she said.

Ottawa's Frank Martello and his son Luca are attending their third Team Canada match of this World Cup after scoring a hat trick of group stage tickets for a total cost of $1,800 each, or $600 per game.

"I woke up early, excited and nervous," said Luca. "I really hope we finish top of the group."

Two group matches into this FIFA World Cup, things can't have gone much better for coach Jesse Marsch, his Canadian men's national team and the millions cheering them on across the country and beyond. 

Sitting atop Group B, Canada is assured of a place in the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time in its history with four points, seven goals scored and one conceded.

Today's match against Switzerland, which some were viewing as the one that could decide Canada's fate in this World Cup, will now simply decide the order of the group's top three.

But there's still a lot to play for: a win or a draw for Canada today would seal its first place in Group B and give the team a Round of 32 match in Vancouver — no small advantage given the raucous roars of the proverbial 12th man in B.C. Place during last week's memorable 6-0 win against Qatar.

Defeat to the Swiss would mean second place and a match in Los Angeles against Group A's runner-up: either South Korea, Czechia or South Africa.

There is a chance Canada could still finish third in Group B. That would require a heavy defeat to the Swiss coupled with a thumping win for Bosnia-Herzegovina against Qatar later today. 

That surely won't happen today … will it? In a World Cup of surprises where an average of more than three goals a game are being scored, you wouldn't bet against anything.

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