BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER.

Canada and Qatar will both be seeking a historic breakthrough when they meet in Vancouver on Thursday, with neither nation having previously won a match at the FIFA World Cup.

The Group B encounter brings together two teams buoyed by dramatic comebacks in their opening fixtures, which earned each country its first-ever point at football’s biggest tournament.

Tournament co-hosts Canada showed resilience in their opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium. Jesse Marsch’s side fell behind in the 21st minute but salvaged a 1-1 draw thanks to substitute Cyle Larin, who struck in the 78th minute just two minutes after coming off the bench.

Qatar also made history in their opener against Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Having lost all three matches during their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022, the Gulf nation appeared destined for another defeat before a dramatic twist deep into stoppage time. A 94th-minute own goal by Swiss defender Miro Muheim secured a 1-1 draw and Qatar’s first-ever World Cup point.

The match will renew acquaintances between the two nations, who previously met in a friendly in Vienna in September 2022. On that occasion, Canada emerged 2-0 winners, with goals from Cyle Larin and Jonathan David inside the opening 15 minutes.

While history favours the Canadians, both teams enter the contest with confidence following their encouraging starts to the tournament.

Canada are making their eighth World Cup appearance and will face Asian opposition for the first time in the competition. Their previous World Cup encounters have largely come against European nations, with Morocco the only African side they have faced.

Les Rouges will also draw confidence from an impressive recent run of form. They have suffered only one defeat in their last 18 matches, recording eight victories and nine draws during that period.

Much of Canada’s attacking threat will once again revolve around Jonathan David, the country’s all-time leading scorer, who is just one goal away from reaching the 40-goal milestone for the national team.

For Qatar, the match represents another opportunity to continue rewriting their World Cup history. The Maroons are facing Concacaf opposition for the first time at the tournament, having previously played against teams from South America, Africa and Europe.

Head coach Julen Lopetegui could also hand a landmark appearance to midfielder Tahsin Jamshid. At 20 years and two days old, he would become the youngest player ever to represent Qatar at the FIFA World Cup, eclipsing the record set by Ayoub Aloui earlier in the tournament.

With both nations having already secured their first World Cup points, attention now turns to an even greater prize. Victory in Vancouver would deliver a maiden World Cup win and provide a significant boost to their hopes of reaching the knockout phase of the expanded 48-team tournament.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Democratic Republic of Congo marked their long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup with a memorable 1-1 draw against Portugal on Wednesday, frustrating Cristiano Ronaldo and one of the tournament favourites in a spirited Group K encounter.

The goal scored by Congo is their first in World Cup history, as they lost their earlier three matches in Germany 1974. It is also the first time they have got a point in the World Cup.

Playing at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, the Congolese showed resilience and determination to recover from an early setback and claim a valuable point against the 2016 European champions.

The African side appeared headed for a difficult afternoon when Portugal struck after only six minutes. Pedro Neto delivered a cross from the left, and Joao Neves rose to head home from close range, giving Portugal the perfect start.

With 41-year-old Ronaldo leading the attack in his record-equalling sixth World Cup appearance, Portugal dominated possession for much of the first half. However, despite controlling the ball, the Europeans struggled to break down a disciplined Congolese defence.

As the match progressed, DR Congo grew in confidence and began to threaten on the counterattack. Their persistence paid off deep into first-half stoppage time when Yoane Wissa etched his name into the history books.

The Brentford forward became the first Congolese player to score at a FIFA World Cup, heading home an inviting cross from Arthur Masuaku to send the African supporters into celebration.

The goal not only levelled the scores but also marked a historic milestone for a nation making its first World Cup appearance since the 1974 tournament in Germany, when the country competed as Zaire.

Portugal emerged after the break with greater urgency, but DR Congo continued to match them stride for stride. The African side came within inches of pulling off a famous victory when veteran striker Cedric Bakambu struck the post in the second half.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, endured a frustrating outing. The Portuguese captain, who also became the oldest player ever to start a World Cup match, found little space against the well-organised Congolese backline and squandered two opportunities from close range.

Portugal’s midfield enjoyed long spells of possession, but the African side’s defensive discipline ensured that Joao Neves’ early goal remained Portugal’s only effort on target throughout the match.

The result will be celebrated as one of the finest moments in Congolese football history and will provide a significant boost to African hopes at the expanded 48-team tournament.

For DR Congo, the draw represents far more than a single point. It is a statement that African teams can compete with the world’s elite and a reward for a generation of players determined to restore the country’s place on football’s biggest stage.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER

The FIFA World Cup 2026 reached another milestone on June 16, when a record-breaking 281,223 spectators packed stadiums across North America, making it the highest-attended single day in the tournament’s history as global superstars Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi delivered memorable performances.

FIFA announced on Wednesday that the combined attendance for four group-stage matches — France versus Senegal, Iraq against Norway, Argentina against Algeria, and Austria against Jordan — surpassed the previous single-day record of 277,070 fans set during the United States-hosted World Cup on June 28, 1994.

The historic crowd figures were matched by a day of individual brilliance from three of football’s biggest names.

France captain Mbappe scored in Les Bleus’ 3-1 victory over Senegal to become his country’s all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup with 15 goals, surpassing the previous French record.

Norway’s Haaland continued his remarkable rise on football’s biggest stage, scoring twice in a 4-1 win over Iraq to become only the sixth player in World Cup history to net a brace on his tournament debut.

Meanwhile, Argentina legend Messi added another landmark moment to his glittering World Cup career, scoring in a 3-0 victory over Algeria and further extending his record as Argentina’s oldest World Cup goalscorer.

The record-setting day came just six days after the tournament kicked off at Mexico City Stadium, underlining the enormous appeal of the first FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

After 20 matches, total attendance has reached 1,309,652 spectators, with an average crowd of 65,483 per game. FIFA said the tournament is on course to surpass the World Cup’s all-time attendance record of 3.5 million fans, established during the 1994 finals in the United States, before the group stage concludes.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed both the attendance milestone and the atmosphere created by supporters across the three host nations.

“Wow! 281,223 fans in FIFA World Cup stadiums today — the highest-attended day in the history of the competition,” Infantino said.

“16 June 2026 will go down in FIFA World Cup history. I cannot thank our fans enough for bringing colour, atmosphere and emotions to this tournament. The most inclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to show just how much our game is loved and how Football Unites The World.”

The attendance record provides further evidence of the growing popularity of the expanded 48-team competition, being staged across 16 cities in North America.

Despite the huge crowds, FIFA said demand for tickets remains strong and encouraged supporters to continue checking its official ticketing platform for availability.

The governing body also reiterated that, as a not-for-profit organisation, revenues generated by the World Cup are reinvested into the development of men’s, women’s and youth football across its 211 member associations worldwide.

With several marquee fixtures still to come and fan interest continuing to surge, tournament organisers are increasingly confident that the 2026 edition will become the most-attended FIFA World Cup in history.

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