Here are the latest developments from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All times Eastern:
9:50 p.m.
South Korea and Mexico are tied at 0-0 at halftime of their Group A match.
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9:45 p.m.
Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné is in the hospital preparing for surgery on what is believed to be a badly broken left leg. Canada coach Jesse Marsch told reporters that the injury reminded him of when winger Tajon Buchanan fractured his tibia during training before the 2024 Copa America tournament. "It happened right in front of the bench. We could all hear it," said Marsch of Kone's injury.
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9 p.m.
South Korea and Mexico have kicked off their Group A match in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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8 p.m.
Game over. Canada, led by three goals from Jonathan David, blasted Qatar 6-0 in a Group B match at BC Place in Vancouver. The game ended with some bad blood as players from both sides were involved in a brief melee at midfield. Qatar was handed two red cards during the game. The biggest concern following the win will be the well-being of 24-year-old Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné, who suffered a gruesome injury to his left leg and was stretchered off the field.
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7:53 p.m.
It's 6-0 Canada as Jonathan David completes his hat trick in stoppage time. Canada has set a record for the most goals scored in a World Cup match by a CONCACAF team.
7:53 p.m.
The officials have added a minimum of nine minutes of stoppage time. Canada leads 5-0 after 90 minutes.
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7:52 p.m.
Soccer legend Christine Sinclair is in the building, and the Canadian fans let out a roar when international soccer's all-time leading goal scorer appeared on the scoreboard screen.
7:35 p.m.
Canada is showing no mercy to the outnumbered Qataris and has extended its lead to 5-0. Jacob Shaffelburg, who had just come on for Luc de Fougerolles, was credited with the goal after his shot deflected in off a Qatar defender in the 77th minute to the delight of the sold-out BC Place.
7:29 p.m.
Canada now leads 4-0 as second-half substitute Nathan Saliba fires a beautiful free kick into the top corner in the 64th minute. Saliba celebrated by waving Koné's jersey to the crowd.
7:16 p.m.
In the 52nd minute, Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné was stretchered off the field with an injury to his left leg. Assim Madibo was assessed a red card on the play, leaving Qatar with nine men.
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7:06 p.m.
The second half in Vancouver is underway with Canada ahead 3-0 over Qatar. Canada has made a significant substitution, replacing defender Derek Cornelius with Moise Bombito, who is seeing just his second game action since breaking his leg in October.
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7:05 p.m.
The VIP box at BC Place is overflowing with political and soccer dignitaries. Prime Minister Mark Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby celebrated each Canadian goal in the company of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.
6:53 p.m.
Canada carries a 3-0 lead into halftime after a dominant first-half display against Qatar in Vancouver. Canada scored three times on 14 shots, with each goal coming from inside the penalty area. Qatar will play the second half a man down after defender Homam Ahmed was shown a red card in the 33rd minute.
Canada's Jonathan David (right) celebrates his goal against Qatar with Stephen Eustaquio (7) during the first half of a World Cup Group B soccer match, in Vancouver, on Thursday, June 18, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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6:49 p.m.
Canada has taken a 3-0 lead in its Group B match with Qatar at BC Place in Vancouver. Star striker Jonathan David banged home his second goal of the game three minutes into stoppage time.
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6:36 p.m.
Canada had a chance to grab a 3-0 lead but Jonathan David sailed a shot over the goal following a free kick inside the Qatari box. The free kick was earned after Tajon Buchanan was hauled down inside the box by Qatar defender Homam Ahmed, who earned a red card on the play.
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6:30 p.m.
Canada has pulled ahead 2-0 on a goal from Jonathan David at 29th minute. The home side has been relentlessly attacking the Qataris in the opening half.
Canada's Jonathan David, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group B soccer match between against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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6:22 p.m.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is here to cheer on the Canadian side. Carney has been spotted in a VIP box with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
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6:15 p.m.
Canada took a 1-0 lead after Cyle Larin collected a rebound and slotted the ball past Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada in the 16th minute. Larin has scored in consecutive games.
Canada's Cyle Larin, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup Group B soccer match against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
6:08 p.m.
Canada striker Johnathan David, all alone on the right side of the goal, nearly made it 1-0 at the seventh minute but was thwarted by a diving save by Qatar keeper Mahmoud Abunada. Qatar had their own chance two minutes later but failed to convert a free kick just outside the box following a yellow card handed to Derek Cornelius.
Canada's Derek Cornelius, left, reacts as he receives a yellow card during the World Cup Group B soccer match against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
6 p.m.
Game on! This World Cup Group B match between host Canada and Qatar is underway in Vancouver. These two teams last met in 2022 with Canada winning 2-0 in a World Cup tune-up friendly.
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5:50 p.m.
It's 10 minutes from kickoff, and the noise being created by the pro-Canadian crowd is deafening, drowning out the in-stadium hosts and public address announcers. Flags from Canada and Qatar, each covering half the field, were unfurled ahead of the national anthems.
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5:33 p.m.
Canadian players have wrapped up warm-up as the crowd spills into BC Place. The stadium is a sea of red, with the majority of the 52,497 seats occupied by home supporters. Two sections in the southwest corner of the lower bowl have turned completely white due to the flowing robes worn by Qatari fans.
Canada's Alphonso Davies walks on the pitch as his team arrives prior to the World Cup Group B soccer match against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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5:11 p.m.
Canada is on the field, warming up before taking on Qatar at BC Place. Starting goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau led the players out of the tunnel and ran around the penalty area, clapping for the cheering crowd. The starting 11 wore red-and-black warm-up jerseys, while the 14 athletes available off the bench donned army green.
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5:10 p.m.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be at the match and he says "the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable in BC Place." He says Canada has an exciting, attacking team and with Alphonso Davies available on the bench, Canada has "a lot of options."
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5:01 p.m.
Canada fans are flooding Vancouver's streets and BC Place Stadium as the city counts down the last hour before kickoff. The "last mile" walk to the stadium was a sea of red as the Voyageurs supporters' group set off on its pre-game march, blowing trumpets, beating drums and waving flags and smoke canisters ahead of the match against Qatar. Canada fan Duncan Mackey, his bald head painted in the home team's colour, says the atmosphere on the march was "phenomenal."
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5 p.m.
Switzerland took a decisive lead atop Group B with a 4-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Los Angeles. Johan Manzambi scored twice for Switzerland, which now has four points from two games. Ruben Vargas also scored for the Swiss, and veteran Granit Xhaka capped the scoring on a penalty in the seventh minute of added time. Erman Mahmic scored for Bosnia, which drew Canada 1-1 in Toronto in its first game last Friday.
Switzerland's Johan Manzambi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Bosnia during the World Cup Group B soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)
4:45 p.m.
Alphonso Davies is not in Canada's starting lineup for today's game against Qatar. The co-host nation will begin with both Jonathan David and Cyle Larin on the field. Larin came off the bench and scored in Canada's 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina last Friday, while David is the all-time leading scorer for the country's men's program.
Canada's Alphonso Davies walks on the pitch as his team arrives prior to the World Cup Group B soccer match against Qatar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
4:20 p.m.
More than a dozen of Canada's players have walked out onto the field at B.C. Place to experience the atmosphere before kickoff. Keen fans who were already in their seats cheered, with the noise growing as former Vancouver Whitecap Alphonso Davies was shown on the big screen. The players wore army green warmup shirts and black shorts, and some took photos of the stadium on their phones.
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3:48 p.m.
The Group B match between Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina is tied 0-0 at the half in Los Angeles. The Swiss held a 4-2 shots advantage in the opening 45 minutes, with each team having one shot on target. Switzerland controlled 68 per cent of possession.
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3:40 p.m.
It's a quieter scene inside BC Place, where the gates opened a short time ago. Among the first fans inside are a group of Qatari supporters dressed in flowing white robes. The away fans currently outnumber Canadian supporters, though that won't last long
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3:30 p.m.
It's a sea of red near Vancouver's Science World as Canada fans get ready for the supporters' march to BC Place stadium. The crowd of thousands has packed streets that are shut down to traffic, chanting, blowing trumpets and waving flags ahead of the march organized by The Voyageurs supporters group.
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3 p.m.
The Group B match between Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina is underway in Los Angeles. All four teams in the group, including Canada, are tied with one point each.
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.
South Africa's Teboho Mokoena celebrates after scoring his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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.
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.
Canada's head coach Jesse Marsch, right, speaks beside Ismael Kone during a FIFA World Cup press conference, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
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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.
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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.
Czechia's and South Africa's flags are seen on the pitch before the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
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.
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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.
Qatari fans march during a FIFA World Cup rally in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
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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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Qatari fans march during a rally in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
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.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.