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Alanis Morissette pictured performing the Canadian national anthem in Toronto. Alamy Stock Photo
o canada
Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette and Will Arnett feature in World Cup's second ceremony in Canada
A sold-out Toronto Stadium welcomes the World Cup tonight as Canada opened its first-ever men’s World Cup on home soil.
CANADA’S FIRST MEN’S World Cup match on home soil is underway tonight following a star-studded opening ceremony in Toronto.
Thousands of supporters packed the sold-out Toronto Stadium ahead of Canada’s opening Group A fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking the start of the country’s role as co-host of the 2026 Fifa World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico.
Before the match, an opening ceremony featured a host of homegrown and international artists, including Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, Jessie Reyez, Elyanna and William Prince.
Before kick-off, Canadian singer Alanis Morissette performed the country’s national anthem, O Canada.
Actor and comedian Will Arnett also took part in the event.
“Today, Toronto welcomes the world and Canada opens its heart to you,” said Arnett, addressing the crowd from the field at Toronto Stadium.
Violinist Aleksandar Gajić performed the Bosnian national anthem.
Canadian icon Alanis Morissette and a Bosnian violinist with less than 750 followers on Instagram.
— Marley Dickinson (@marleydickinson) June 12, 2026
What a moment for Aleksandr Gajić! pic.twitter.com/qtRiQDCX0g
The festivities in Toronto marked the second opening ceremony, with the first held in Mexico yesterday (a thrid ceremony will be hosted by the US tomorrow).
The occasion marked a significant milestone for Canadian football, with the men’s national team playing a World Cup match on home soil for the first time.
Canada previously appeared at the tournament in 1986 and 2022 but lost all six matches across those two campaigns.
A draw or victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina would therefore secure Canada’s first-ever point at a men’s World Cup and boost hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
It’s also a historic tournament for Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are playing in only their second-ever World Cup after beating Italy in a qualification play-off in March.
Conditions in Toronto were warm for the afternoon kick-off, with temperatures reaching around 28 degrees under clear skies.
Fifa’s own heat monitoring system indicated conditions remained within safe limits for players.
The match is the first of several games scheduled to be played in Toronto during the tournament, with Canada hoping a home crowd can help inspire a breakthrough campaign.
The match kicked off at 8pm Irish time.
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