By Ghazali Ibrahim
Two of the three host nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have secured places in the knockout rounds, while Canada must wait until its final group-stage match to confirm progression.
Mexico became the first host nation to book a place in the Round of 32 after winning its opening two Group A matches, defeating South Africa 2-0 and South Korea 1-0 to seal top spot in the group with a game to spare.
The United States soon followed, securing qualification from Group D after a convincing start to the tournament. The Americans opened their campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay before beating Australia 2-0, guaranteeing their place in the knockout phase and clinching first place in the group ahead of their final group match against Turkey.
Canada, however, remains in contention for qualification despite producing one of the most impressive performances of the tournament so far. After drawing 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening Group B fixture, the Canadians bounced back in style with a 6-0 demolition of Qatar.
The result left Canada in a strong position heading into its final group game against Switzerland on June 24. A positive result would likely secure a place in the knockout rounds and complete a clean sweep of qualification for the three co-host nations.
The 2026 World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams and to be jointly hosted by three countries, has already delivered several memorable moments during its opening weeks. Mexico, Canada and the United States automatically qualified for the tournament as hosts and were placed in Groups A, B and D respectively.
With Mexico and the United States already through, attention now turns to Canada as the Maple Leafs seek to join their fellow hosts in the knockout stage and continue a promising campaign on home soil.
