Canada's Cyle Larin runs with his teammates during a FIFA World Cup soccer training session, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

By The Canadian Press

The Latest from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada

Jun 18, 2026 | 6:09 AM

Here are the latest developments from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All times Eastern:

2 p.m.

South Africa and Czechia have played to a 1-1 draw in a Group A match at Atlanta Stadium. Michal Sadilek scored in the sixth minute for the Czechs, but fellow midfielder Teboho Mokoena converted from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute to draw South Africa level. Both teams have one point through two games.

1:25 p.m

Fans are already forming a long queue at the official FIFA Fan Festival in East Vancouver, where total tournament attendance is set to surge past the 100,000 mark. Organizers say more than 98,000 fans have attended up to today, with highest attendance of 31,481 on Saturday. Gates opened at the festival at 10 a.m. Pacific time ahead of Switzerland’s match with Bosnia-Herzegovina, followed by the hotly anticipated Canada-Qatar match.

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1 p.m.

It’s T-minus five hours in Vancouver and police are out in force ahead of the Canada-Qatar match. A staging area for officers, including RCMP and Vancouver police, at the southern foot of the Cambie Bridge is a hive of activity. On- and off-ramps for the bridge, the closest downtown crossing to BC Place Stadium, are already shut, and organizers are urging fans to leave their cars at home and take transit before the final walk to the stadium.

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12:49 p.m.

Czechia leads South Africa 1-0 at halftime of their World Cup Group A match in Atlanta. Midfielder Michal Sadilek scored in the sixth minute.

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12:17 p.m.

Toronto’s FIFA Fan Festival has run into another weather-related problem ahead of Canada’s match against Qatar. Organizers say the site will now open at 4 p.m. because more time is needed to prepare following recent severe weather. There was significant precipitation along with thunderstorms overnight in Toronto, with rain letting up around 10 a.m. Canada is scheduled to face Qatar at 6 p.m. in Vancouver. The delay is the latest setback for the fan festival. Fans were evacuated on opening day because of a lightning threat, and the site also opened hours late Sunday because of thunderstorm concerns.

12:01 p.m.

South Africa and Czechia are kicking off today’s World Cup action in Atlanta. They are the first teams at the tournament to play in a second match. Both are coming off losses. Co-host Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener, while Czechia opened with a 2-1 loss to South Korea.

10:40 a.m.

Teams playing World Cup matches today will take part in an International Day for Countering Hate Speech commemoration, with captains exchanging pennants bearing the message “We Play Together. We Stand Against Hate.” FIFA says it has deleted more than 30 million abusive social media posts and comments since launching its protection service before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The governing body says nearly 400,000 negative or abusive posts have already been removed during the opening days of this year’s tournament.

9:50 a.m.

Qatar didn’t just bring a team to Vancouver — it paid to bring a cheering section, too. About 1,000 fans arrived on an all-expenses-paid trip funded through a Qatari government-backed program, filling downtown hotels and adding a soundtrack of traditional darbuka drums ahead of tonight’s World Cup match against Canada.

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9 a.m.

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will miss Saturday’s World Cup match against Germany in Toronto after failing to secure authorization to enter Canada, according to the country’s soccer federation. The 23-year-old is under investigation in France after suspicious betting activity was detected around a yellow card he received in a Ligue 1 match in May. Ivory Coast said it has not been officially notified of any proceedings against Wahi and continues to support the forward, who started in the team’s opening 1-0 win over Ecuador.

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8:55 a.m.

Canadian captain Alphonso Davies has been cleared to play in today’s World Cup match against Qatar in Vancouver after missing more than a month with a hamstring injury. How much Davies will feature remains unclear, but the Bayern Munich star gives Canada a boost in a crucial Group B matchup. All four teams in the group opened with draws, leaving Canada seeking its first World Cup victory after a 1-1 result against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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8:55 a.m.

World Cup action continues Thursday with Czechia facing South Africa at noon in Atlanta, followed by Switzerland against Bosnia-Herzegovina at 3 p.m. in Inglewood, Calif. Canada meets Qatar at 6 p.m. in Vancouver with both sides chasing their first World Cup victory after opening-round draws. The day’s schedule wraps up at 9 p.m. in Guadalajara, Mexico, where Mexico takes on South Korea in a matchup that could decide control of Group A.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press