The 2026 World Cup is just around the corner, and for the three host nations – Canada, Mexico and the United States of America – it will be a festival of football.

While Mexico and the USA have hosted the tournament before, Canada will have an opportunity to play host to the world for the first time ever on the biggest stage of all. There is a huge chance to show off the country’s culture, as well as their footballing talent, with household names such as Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.

Canada will be led into the tournament by their head coach Jesse Marsch, the American coach perhaps best known for his managerial stints with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Leeds United in the Premier League. Having been in position with Les Rouges since May 2024, the 52-year-old has overseen the whole preparation for the competition, and is determined to better the nation’s best World Cup finish by getting out of the group stage.

GIVEMESPORT’s senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs spoke with Marsch after the World Cup draw in an exclusive interview with GMS.

With Canada’s first World Cup game now just days away, we take a look back at Marsch’s thoughts.

Canada’s Group Stage Opponents

Jay Biggerstaff via Imagn

Canada have been drawn into group B, where they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, and Qatar, a tough collection of teams that they will be keen to get past. While the national team are yet to taste success on the World Cup stage, Marsch is keen to get the side out of the group stage and into the knockout rounds for the first time ever.

“We want to win the group. For a country that has never won a World Cup game or even a point, that is a crazy statement, but I think, internally, our expectations are that at home we can be the aggressor against whoever we play, and that we can win the group.

“That’s no disrespect to any of our opponents. That was our aim before the group was drawn, and it is still the same after the draw. And one of the motivations for winning the group is that we get to stay in Canada. If we take second or third place then we have to go to the US [for the knockout stage].

“Of course, it is not the easiest draw for us. I was giving a hard time to [Mauricio] Pochettino by saying he had such an easy draw. I think that it will be a test for us. Each opponent presents different kinds of challenges. I really respect Switzerland. Murat Yakin has been an incredible coach over the last 30 years, and he’s done a great job with their national team. The Switzerland team is really balanced with a lot of talent all over the pitch.

“And Qatar has got a globally-renowned manager in Julen Lopetegui. Qatar is a little bit like Canada. It’s an emerging football nation and they have some very talented players. We’ll have to make sure we are the aggressor in that game.”

At the time, Marsch wasn’t aware of the final group opponent, having had to watch through the UEFA playoffs to discover who that last team would be. While Italy, where the manager has resided, were marked as favourites, they were eventually beaten to that spot by Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are looking to make a mark in the competition.

Canada’s Star Players – Including Davies and David

Since sitting down to talk with GMS, Marsch has named his 26-man Canada squad that will be competing at the World Cup this summer.

There was a boost in Alphonso Davies being available, despite his ongoing injury concerns that saw him miss time through an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) issue and then a setback through a muscular problem. While it’s unclear how much time the star defender will be able to play, the head coach praised his impact back in March when discussing the Bayern Munich ace.

“He’s the captain. He’s one of the most vocal guys. He’s someone everybody looks up to. He’s clearly one of the leaders. He’s our best player. There is a lot more on his shoulders, and it’s a challenge for him, at a young age, to meet all the standards that we need from him. We’ve tried to really support him with a good leadership group.

“It will take a little bit of time to get him up to speed on everything that we’ve been doing, but I’ve been communicating with him a lot over the last months, and I know he’ll be ready to go this summer.”

Another star player in Jonathan David has had a difficult campaign, scoring just eight goals for Juventus following his free transfer last summer. Despite that, Marsch isn’t concerned about the 26-year-old.

“Of all the players in our squad, Johnny is last on my list of worries. He is very cool, very smart and doesn’t get stressed out. He has an incredible ability to stay on task and focus on the things that are most important. It is obviously important that he plays, has confidence and is in the rhythm of scoring goals, but that’s the kind of player Johnny is anyway.

“He’s not one of the guys that I need to babysit, that’s for sure. He’s a big personality in terms of just the magnetism behind who he is. Anyone that spends time with him sees how funny, smart and personable he is. And all of that tends toward the feeling that this guy’s got everything under control.”

Midfielder Ismael Kone is a player of great promise in the side too, with Marsch also outlining the quality he has for the national team.

“I get to see Ismael pretty closely every week He’s having an incredible season at Sassuolo. His confidence, tactical concentration and discipline have all grown this year, making him a responsible midfielder. I’m continuing to encourage him to be dynamic, sprint more and to be more physically present in games, but he’s got all the tools. I really like him. We have a good relationship and I think he knows we are helping to push him to the next level. This summer could be really big for him.”

Marsch’s Canada Talks

Stephane Mahe Via Reuters

The Canada job is Marsch’s first dip into international management as the number one, having previously worked with Bob Bradley as part of the USMNT squad in 2010 until 2011. Before deciding to take the job with Les Rouges, the head coach revealed he spoke to other managers about the step into coaching with a team on the international stage.

“I had a few initial discussions with Canada Soccer maybe six months prior to when I first met Kevin Blue, but I didn’t think of it [the Canada head coach role] that seriously. And then when Kevin got the job, I heard he wanted to speak to me, and that he was good.

“I was here in Italy and I did a Zoom call with him. Right away, I could see that Kevin was different. He had a little bit more business acumen and an idea of how to build something. He knew how to raise the funds and hire the right kind of people. Right away I was like, ‘Okay, this is now more in line with the way that I think’. I started analysing the player pool, which I already knew a bit about, and I began to realise this was the project that I’d been looking for.

“When I left Leeds, if you had said to me, ‘Oh, you’re going to be the Canadian national team coach in a year-and-a-half,’ I would have said, ‘No way!’. Yet this job checked all the boxes: from good leadership, to people who valued relationships, to a player pool that was easy to manage and have relationships with and could physically play the game in the way that I wanted.

“And then the other ‘X factor’ was representing this country. I’ve always liked Canadians. I’ve always had friends that are Canadians. I’m from Wisconsin, which is not too far from Canada. There’s something about Canadians and their mindset, kindness and friendliness that resonates with who I am. So when I put it all together, it seemed like the perfect fit, and it has really turned out that way.”

Marsch has since signed a new four-year deal with Canada, which will see him guide the national team through the next phase of World Cup qualifiers for 2030. It was a process he revealed as being underway in the interview back in March, but is now firmly in position for his long-term future with the team.

Donald Trump And World Cup Impact

One of the overarching stories of the World Cup comes from fellow host nation USA, as controversy has surrounded them and president Donald Trump leading into the tournament. Relations between Canada and America have been strained at times. For Marsch, however, it’s an opportunity for Canada to show what they’re all about on the world stage.

“As an American, from the very beginning, I thought this was a political decision by the US to involve Canada and Mexico so that they could ensure getting the bid. And yet, for Canada, this is a big moment in our history, so whether it is more centric around the United States – which I believe is the case – it is still an incredible opportunity for a nation like Canada, considering where we are at in the overall development of the sport in the country.

“It’s an incredible moment for us in our sporting and football history, and I don’t think it could have come at a better time. The tournament has also coincided with probably the best this team has ever been. We are at the highest ranking we’ve ever had. I think we have more players at big clubs in Europe than ever before. Clearly, the sport is establishing itself more and more, and so what a better time to host the World Cup than right now?”

Marsch and his group of players kickstart their World Cup campaign on June 12th against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto Stadium, where they will eye up a first win in the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup is finally here, but it hasn’t been a smooth ride for supporters of various nations trying to travel over to watch their teams in action.

Despite also being hosted in Canada and Mexico, the majority of problems have been caused by the United States of America’s visa policies. It’s not only fans having a tough time, either, as Iran’s entire team has been forced to train in Mexico and will only be allowed in the States for 24 hours around their group games.

Meanwhile, top African referee Omar Artan was denied entry and sent home as the White House claimed he had links with a terrorist group. Now, a statement has revealed that a group of supporters were not allowed to travel and told by the US government that they ‘do not want to see’ them.

Supporters Left ‘Deeply Hurt’ By United States Ban

Luc Gnago via Reuters

Iranian supporters have not been permitted to travel due to the ongoing conflict between the two countries, while Scotland fans have even been caught up in the chaos, with travel permits being withdrawn at the last moment.

The latest participants to face the prospect of not seeing many of their fans in the stands are Ivory Coast. The African country is on Donald Trump’s travel ban list, and have reportedly been banned from making their way over to America.

Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of the National Committee of Elephants Supporters (CNSE), claimed the US government told the Ivory Coast supporters group that they were not welcome. He stated (per The Sun):

“This situation hurts us deeply because it prevents us from fulfilling our sacred duty, which is to support our team,” Kouadio continued.

Not stopping there, the president was highly critical of the policies and the specific countries impacted. He added: “It’s a form of segregation that doesn’t dare speak its name, but the proof is there. No European country has faced this kind of restriction. Why Africa?”

Three Other Nations Impacted By Travel Issues

Mandel Ngan via Reuters

Ivory Coast aren’t the only ones impacted by the travel ban list. Iran, Haiti and Senegal were also blocked from getting visitor visas for their supporters.

All four countries are set to play matches in the United States, where 78 of the scheduled 104 fixtures in the entire competition will take place. Along with heavily criticised ticket prices, it’s been a difficult journey to the World Cup for many fans, while some have been forced to watch from home instead.

Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp has claimed that England will have to make a deep run into the World Cup to deem the tournament a success this summer.

The Three Lions are already based in North America for the competition, with Thomas Tuchel naming his 26-man squad that is aiming to win the competition for just the second time in the nation’s history.

After reaching two consecutive European Championship finals, as well as a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final, there is some hope that England can get across the line this time around.

It all kicks off on June 17th for the team, who take on Croatia first up in Dallas, with plenty of predictions flying in ahead of the tournament truly kickstarting.

Speaking to GMS at the unveiling of London Heritage Quarter’s Pride in the Quarter, Redknapp has discussed England’s chances and just how far they can go in the World Cup.

World Cup Win Is England Success

London Heritage Quarter

England head into the World Cup craving another trophy, having come so close, yet so far to ending the wait spanning back to the 1966 triumph.

A mixture of players at the peak of their career such as Harry Kane and Declan Rice, combined with fresh talent such as Nico O’Reilly, could give the Three Lions a good chance of going all the way.

That said, the threat of major nations such as France, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil could stand in the way of ending the 60-years of hurt the nation has endured.

With all that to weigh up, many are torn over whether England are expected to win it or not, and what would be a good tournament as a result.

For Redknapp, the answer is simply winning the tournament, as he said: “We’ve got some amazing talent, you know. Declan Rice has had a great season at Arsenal. He could have a great tournament, and he’s a leader.

“There’s so much talent in the squad really, when you look at it, that I’m looking for us to really go far. We’re going to have to go far, yeah.

“We’ve got to win it really, to be a success. We’ve been to the semi-finals, and it’s time we won it with this group.”

The England camp will certainly fancy their chances, though the route to the final isn’t looking particularly easy if things play out as many expect them to.

England’s World Cup Route To The Final

England may be leaning on the tactical expertise and experience of Tuchel to get the side all the way to the final, in what could prove to be a tricky bracket in the World Cup.

The tournament could throw out some surprises, but if things go as many predict them to, then the Three Lions will have to face some tough opponents in the coming weeks.

Assuming England finish top of group L, they are set to face off with a third-placed team from one of group E, H, I, J, or K, making it tough to predict exactly who they could face in the round of 32.

Potential tough opponents could include the likes of Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Uruguay, Norway, Senegal, Austria, and more, which will become clearer as the tournament progresses.

Beyond that, the round of 16 appears primed for England to take on hosts Mexico in Mexico City, a match that is made tougher due to that home advantage.

If they get beyond them, the remaining games could read as Brazil in the quarter-final, Argentina in the semi-final, and one of Germany, France, or Spain in the final.

Of course, things may play out differently, but it could be a tough trek for the Three Lions to make it all the way to lifting the iconic trophy this summer.

That said, it’s never stopped the nation dreaming before, and it won’t stop them again this summer.

London Heritage Quarter’s city-wide lion trail, unveiled by Harry Redknapp and Fara Williams MBE to celebrate England’s summer of international football, will run until 10th August 2026. Visit www.london-hq.co.uk for more information.