Germany, Belgium, and Croatia are set to compete in matches in Canada during the group stage of the upcoming FIFA World Cup next summer. The tournament’s complete schedule, featuring 48 teams and 104 games, was revealed in Washington D.C. Canada will host a total of 13 games, with seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto, including three knockout rounds matches.
Toronto will witness matchups such as No. 72 Ghana versus No. 30 Panama (June 17, Group L), No. 9 Germany against No. 42 Ivory Coast (June 20, Group E), Panama versus No. 10 Croatia (June 23, Group L), and No. 19 Senegal against a playoff winner (June 26, Group I). In Vancouver, games will feature No. 26 Australia against a European playoff winner (June 13, Group D), and No. 86 New Zealand versus No. 34 Egypt and No. 8 Belgium (June 21 and 26, Group G).
Notably, fans in Canada could witness star players like Egypt’s Mo Salah, Croatia’s Luka Modric, and Germany’s Joshua Kimmich in action. Ivory Coast has a history of playing in Toronto, defeating Canada in a penalty shootout during the Canadian Shield tournament on June 4.
As one of the co-hosts, Canada’s schedule was confirmed following Friday’s draw. The 27th-ranked Canadian team will face a team from the European playoffs, including No. 12 Italy, on June 12 in Toronto before moving to Vancouver for matches against No. 51 Qatar on June 18 and No. 17 Switzerland on June 24, both at B.C. Place Stadium. Depending on their performance, Canada could stay in Vancouver for subsequent games or face the second-placed team in Mexico’s Group A.
Stadium capacity played a significant role in scheduling, with marquee teams assigned to large venues. Toronto’s BMO Field and B.C. Place, with capacities of 54,000 each, were chosen for matches involving top teams. The tournament will also see top-ranked teams like Spain, Argentina, France, England, and Brazil competing in various stadiums across North America.
Overall, the FIFA World Cup promises exciting matchups and the opportunity for fans to witness top international football talent in action.