RismadarVoice Reporters
June 19, 2026
Co-host nations Canada and Mexico continued their impressive FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns on Thursday, with both sides recording significant victories that boosted their hopes of a deep run in the tournament.
Mexico secured a narrow 1-0 victory over South Korea to become the first team to book a place in the Round of 32, while Canada delivered a dominant 6-0 win over Qatar, earning the country’s first-ever World Cup victory.
The Canadians produced a memorable performance in Vancouver, with star striker Jonathan David scoring a hat-trick as his side overwhelmed a struggling Qatari team. The visitors finished the match with nine players after two red cards in a contest that turned increasingly chaotic.
Despite the emphatic victory, Canada’s celebrations were tempered by a serious injury suffered by midfielder Ismaël Koné. The influential player was stretchered off after a heavy challenge, with television replays indicating a severe leg injury. Qatar’s Assim Madibo was shown a straight red card for the tackle.
The result marked a historic milestone for Canada, which had previously failed to win a match in its two World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022. Before Thursday’s encounter, the North Americans had lost all six of their previous World Cup matches.
In the same group, Switzerland strengthened its position with a convincing 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving both the Swiss and Canadians in strong contention for qualification to the knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, in Group A, Mexico delighted home supporters with a hard-fought win over South Korea in Guadalajara. Midfielder Luis Romo scored the decisive goal in the second half to seal victory and secure early qualification for the next stage of the competition.
The triumph ensured that El Tri became the first nation to advance beyond the group phase, further energising local fans as Mexico continues its role as one of the tournament’s host countries.
Attention now shifts to Friday’s fixtures, headlined by the United States’ clash with Australia in a crucial Group D encounter. The Americans enter the match full of confidence following their commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening game.
However, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has cautioned against underestimating Australia, who also began their campaign strongly with a 2-0 win over Turkey.
The availability of U.S. captain Christian Pulisic remains uncertain after he suffered a calf injury during the opening match. Pochettino expressed optimism that the forward’s condition is improving and suggested he could return soon if unavailable against Australia.
Elsewhere, Scotland will face Morocco as Group C action gets underway, while Brazil takes on Haiti in a match expected to attract significant global attention. Turkey and Paraguay will also meet later in the day as teams continue their quest for a place in the knockout rounds.
With the tournament gathering momentum, both Canada and Mexico have provided their supporters with plenty of reasons to celebrate, underlining the impact of the co-host nations on football’s biggest stage.
