Canada ended their 36-year wait to reach the FIFA World Cup by qualifying for Qatar, but they face an entirely different proposition during next summer’s tournament.
Canada are one of three host nations and will stage the expanded 48-team competition alongside the United States and Mexico. Naturally, pressure is higher on home soil.
As the lowest-ranked of all three hosts, Canada will hope for some good fortune when it comes to the draw on Dec. 5, but there are some mightily impressive teams on the cards for the Canucks.
Based on the World Cup pot projections and excluding playoff sides, here is Canada’s easiest and toughest potential groups for the tournament.
Best Possible Group for Canada
Canada are Pot 1’s lowest-ranked nation, only featuring among the world’s big-hitters due to their host status. It’s great news for Jesse Marsch’s men, who will avoid the likes of Argentina, England, France and Spain during the first phase of the tournament.
Their ideal Pot 2 opponents based on FIFA rankings are Austria—a nation they have only battled once in an international friendly back in 2006. Much has changed since then, although Canada did win that fixture 2–0.
Ivory Coast, who were held to a goalless draw by Canada in a first-ever meeting in June, would be favorable opponents from Pot 3 given they‘re only the 42nd strongest nation in world soccer. The African side have never made it beyond the group stage at a World Cup and have missed the last two tournaments.
The Canucks will be keeping their fingers crossed for a meeting with fellow Commonwealth country New Zealand, who are 86th-ranked in the world. They have only faced off once this century, Canada winning 1–0 in a 2018 friendly.
Worst Possible Group for Canada
Despite swerving the world’s elite in Pot 1, there are still some devastating sides in Pot 2 for Canada, including 11th-ranked Croatia. The two shared a group at the 2022 World Cup—at which the Europeans made the last four having reached 2018’s final—with Canada losing 4–1 despite taking a second-minute lead.
Ecuador, led by Chelsea‘s midfield star Moisés Caicedo, would prove an immense challenge for Canada, who have failed to win any of their past four meetings with the South Americans. They drew 0–0 in a friendly during the most recent international break.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Best, Worst Possible 2026 World Cup Groups for Canada.
