The 2026 World Cup is gaining momentum. After a debut day marked by Mexico's historic victory at the Azteca Stadium and South Korea's comeback, the tournament enters a new phase. Four more national teams from Groups B and D will take the field, with Canada and the USA playing their first matches on home soil.
Canada: Debut on home soil without a leader
For the Canadian national team, the upcoming match will be special, as the team is playing at a home World Cup for the first time in history. However, the "Maple Leafs" approach the game with a significant personnel loss: captain and the squad's most expensive player, Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich, will miss the match due to injury.
In the absence of the main leader, Juventus forward Jonathan David will have to take on the captain's duties. The statistics are not on the side of the hosts: Canada has yet to win a single match at the World Cup. All six previous encounters in 1986 and 2022 ended in defeat for them.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: The era of Edin Džeko
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, which has qualified for the World Cup only for the second time in its history, has drawn attention to the legendary 40-year-old veteran Edin Džeko. Despite his advanced age, the forward remains the team's top scorer and guardian.
Ukrainian fans will also be interested to see former Zorya Luhansk goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj in the Balkan team's goal. These teams have never met at the international level before, making the upcoming match unpredictable.
USA and Paraguay: A classic confrontation
The USA national team, led by Argentine specialist Mauricio Pochettino, approaches the tournament with one of the most talented generations in its history and high expectations. The main hopes rest on the stars and the team's most expensive players — Christian Pulisic from AC Milan and Folarin Balogun from Monaco. At the start of the tournament, the Americans have no personnel losses.
Their opponent, Paraguay, has returned to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when the team sensationally reached the quarter-finals. Traditionally, the South Americans will rely on a disciplined defense and quick counter-attacks. However, before the start, Paraguay has personnel losses: experienced defender Fabián Balbuena and midfielder Damián Bobadilla will miss the game due to injuries.
The history of confrontations between the teams counts 9 matches: 5 wins for the USA and 2 for Paraguay. The rivals have already crossed paths at the very first World Cup in 1930, when the Americans won convincingly with a score of 3:0. The last head-to-head meeting in November 2025 also ended in a victory for the USA with a score of 2:1.
How to watch matches in Ukraine
Due to the time difference, for Ukrainian fans, the match broadcasts will take place late in the evening and early in the morning. All World Cup matches are shown live in Ukraine on the Megogo media platform. Additionally, one game of the tournament can be watched daily on the "Megogo Sport" TV channel, which is broadcast freely in the digital terrestrial network T2 and in the networks of most cable operators.