Canada's World Cup Build‑Up Highlights New Stadiums and Stars

Canada’s senior men’s national team arrived at Toronto FC’s training campus in the city’s north for a light session two days before their World Cup opener. Coach Jesse Marsch oversaw a jogging‑pace workout with players focusing on limbering and visual work. The campus sits beside Rogers Stadium, an outdoor concert venue built on a former airport runway that can hold 52,000 spectators. For the World Cup, 17,000 temporary seats were added to BMO Field downtown, converting it into Toronto Stadium for the tournament. Singer‑poet Liam Gallagher helped inaugurate Rogers Stadium last August, joking about the hastily built stands. Four years ago Canada returned to the World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first team eliminated and the only side to share a goalless draw with the hosts. Coach John Herdman had claimed he had already turned Canada into a football nation, a statement later described as naïve. Defender Alistair Johnston later called that exit “one of our biggest regrets” and said the squad is now more experienced and less naïve. A community training session on Monday attracted hundreds of schoolchildren who shouted “Phonzieee, Phonzieee!” when the captain arrived. The squad includes Bayern Munich forward Alphonso Davies, Juventus striker Jonathan David, Villarreal winger Tajon Buchanan, Villarreal forward Tani Oluwaseyi, and Sassuolo midfielder Ismaël Koné. Alistair Johnston, who plays for Celtic, also featured in the session. After Marsch’s appointment, Canada reached the Copa América semi‑finals, reviving interest ahead of the World Cup. In Group B, Canada will open against Bosnia and Herzegovina before facing Qatar and Switzerland, a path that could keep them at home for two knockout rounds. Rapper Drake designed a Nike tournament tracksuit for the team, while Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the dressing room. Actor Simu Liu, singer Alanis Morissette and hockey legend Sidney Crosby attended the Montreal training session as ambassadors. The federation hopes the tournament will cement a lasting football legacy in Canada, turning the temporary infrastructure into a permanent catalyst.