There’ll be plenty of high drama in Toronto on Friday as Canada hosts Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first-ever Men’s World Cup match to be played North of the Border.
As one of three host nations, the Reds are playing in their second consecutive World Cup, despite an 0-6 mark in their two previous appearances. Bosnia showed its resilience and reached this stage the hard way, edging out Italy on penalties in the UEFA playoff finals back in March.
Les Rouges are a slight moneyline favorite at -125 and have not lost a single match in the calendar year.
Canada vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina prediction, best bet
The Reds are currently on an eight-match winning streak, rounding out warm-up play with a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan and drawing even with Ireland. Canada’s high-intensity press has allowed only one goal in its last five friendlies.
Although team captain Alphonso Davies is dealing with a hamstring injury and probably won’t play, Jesse Marsch’s roster is deep and versatile, with top-notch goalscorer Jonathan David leading their 4-4-2 setup.
They’ll attempt to break through a formidable Bosnian back line that has allowed one goal or fewer in its last six matches.
Sergej Barbarez’s bunch is considered the third fiddle in Group B, above Qatar but below the Reds and Switzerland, but, like Canada, has won eight straight themselves.
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A pair of hard-fought penalty victories over Italy and Wales in UEFA qualifiers has Bosnia in its first World Cup since 2014, when it just missed the knockout stage by one point to Nigeria.
Edin Dzeko was part of that team, and his goal against Iran secured Zmajevi their first-ever World Cup victory. The 40-year-old veteran missed Bosnia’s recent friendlies and may be unavailable due to a shoulder injury.
Dzeko’s striking ability is instrumental in creating offensive opportunities for Bosnia, and without him, Canada’s defensive pedigree could overwhelm them.
Bosnia’s Cinderella run of late has been inspiring, but they haven’t beaten a CONCACAF team since 2014. In addition, the UEFA playoff winners haven’t scored two or more goals in a match since November 2025.
With a frenetic home crowd in favor of the Reds anticipated, Canada is seeking its first World Cup win, and I think they will finally break through in what could be a rock fight from start to finish.
The Play: Canada moneyline (-125, DraftKings)
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