Canada was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after losing 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16. Manager Jesse Marsch insisted that the CanMNT was “the better team” and “totally controlled the match,” but Morocco’s forwards were clinical in front of goal.
Prior to that defeat, Canada was trading at 0.3% on Kalshi and Polymarket to lift the trophy, which highlighted the scale of the challenge. However, the team defied the odds at this tournament.
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Canada’s 2026 World Cup campaign
The CanMNT began its campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto on June 12. Jovo Lukić’s header left Canada 1-0 down at half-time, but substitute Cyle Larin equalized with a powerful volley in the 79th minute.
Canada then cruised to a 6-0 victory over Qatar on Matchday 2. Larin, who was reinstated to the starting lineup, opened the scoring on 16 minutes. Fellow striker Jonathan David doubled Canada’s advantage 13 minutes later, and Homam Ahmed was then sent off for Qatar. David made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time. Qatar had another man, Assim Madibo, sent off after the break. Substitute Nathan Salbia made it 4-0, before an own-goal from Mohammed Manai, and David completed his hat-trick in the closing stages of the game.
That was Canada’s first ever World Cup win, but it was overshadowed by a sickening injury to midfielder Ismaël Koné. He broke his leg after landing awkwardly following Madibo’s tackle, and he will now be sidelined for several months. Madibo left the field in tears after being shown a red card, and Canada will now be without their midfield maestro for the rest of the tournament.
The CanMNT lost 2-1 to Switzerland in its group stage closer. That result ensured Switzerland won Group A. Canada finished level with Bosnia and Herzegovina on four points each, but Canada’s goal difference was better. That mean Canada qualified for the knockout stage as the runner-up in Group A. The CanMNT headed to Los Angeles to take on South Africa in the Round of 32, and a late strike from midfielder Stephen Eustaquio earned it a famous 1-0 win. Canada will now face either Morocco or the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
Captain Alphonso Davies finally made his long-awaited return to the team for the final 15 minutes of that game against South Africa, which gave Canada a major boost. He injured his hamstring while playing for Bayern Munich in May, and he didn’t play in any of Canada’s group stage games, so the fans were delighted to see him return to the national team. However, Davies felt discomfort in training before the Round of 16 game against Morocco, and the coaches decided not to risk him.
His injury hindered Canada’s campaign, but Marsch was encouraged by the team’s performance against Morocco. “I challenged the players to understand that we can play like this all the time,” Marsch said. “Against the best teams in the world we can be better on the day. Can we hold that standard? Can we build that into the youth? Can we build a real Canadian DNA?”
For live pricing on all World Cup contenders, see our 2026 World Cup odds tracker.
Key players for Canada
Canada manager Jesse Marsch recently declared that “this is the best player pool in the history of the Canadian national team.” The squad is certainly stacked with promising young players, but a few star names stood out at the 2026 World Cup:
- Jonathan David: The Juventus striker was Canada’s primary attacking threat at the World Cup. He has scored 42 goals in 82 games for the CANMNT, and he has the pace, movement, and finishing ability to light up this tournament. He scored a hat-trick in the 6-0 win against Qatar, underscoring his value to the team.
- Alphonso Davies: The Bayern Munich left-back often plays in a more advanced role for Canada, which utilizes his pace and pinpoint crosses. Davies is Canada’s star player and its captain, but he has spent a lot of time on the sidelines with a series of injuries over the past few years. He tore his ACL on international duty in March 2025, and he didn’t return until December. He suffered muscular injuries in February and March this year, before injuring his left hamstring in May. Davies missed Canada’s first three World Cup games, but he returned briefly against South Africa in the knockout stage, only to miss the Round of 16 game.
- Tajon Buchanan: Canada is always dangerous on the counterattack, with Buchanan and Davies leading the charge on the flanks. Buchanan plays for Villarreal in Spain, and he had a previous stint with Italian heavyweight Inter Milan, so he has experience of facing elite European opposition.
- Stephen Eustáquio: The 29-year-old midfielder is the glue that holds this team together. Canada’s vice-captain is intelligent, technically gifted, composed in possession, and tireless off the ball. It was fascinating to see him go up against the likes of Granit Xhaka at the World Cup. He joined LAFC on loan in February, as he wanted regular playing time ahead of the tournament after his minutes at Porto dried up. Eustáquio missed several weeks of the season with an injury, but he’s now back in business, and he has now emerged as a regular starter for LAFC. He scored the winning goal in Canada’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 32.
Related markets for World Cup contenders
Canada’s outright winner contract resolved to “no” immediately after the team was eliminated. You can still bet on the other World Cup contenders at the top prediction market sites:
- Reach a specific round: You can back teams to reach the semifinals or the final with Kalshi.
- Golden Boot: A bet on which player will score the most goals at the World Cup.
Where to bet on the World Cup
Canada’s World Cup betting markets were available on both Kalshi and Polymarket. Kalshi currently has the deepest selection, including outright winner, round-by-round advancement, and Golden Boot contracts. Polymarket carries the outright winner and winning continent contracts too.
Match-by-match contracts for World Cup games are available on Kalshi, Polymarket, DraftKings Predictions, and other sites. They include the three-way moneyline, which team will advance to the next round, total goals, spreads, both teams to score, the first team to score, goalscorer props, and much more. You can trade contracts on the full game, the first half, or the second half.
If you’re new to prediction markets, we recommend checking out the latest sign-up offers before placing your first trade.