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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (7) participates in a World Cup training session ahead of their match against Croatia in Toronto on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
By The Canadian Press

The Latest from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada

Jul 2, 2026 | 7:12 AM

The latest from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada. All times are Eastern:

2:30 p.m.

A Massachusetts city is imposing a curfew ahead of Cape Verde’s World Cup round-of-32 match against Argentina tomorrow. Brockton, home to one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in the United States, will be under a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. after recent post-match celebrations were marred by shootings, stabbings and other violence. The city has also requested National Guard assistance as Cape Verde looks to continue its historic World Cup run.

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1:45 p.m.

Ottawa will host what organizers call the largest-ever free outdoor watch party for a Canadian soccer game at the Bluesfest site at LeBreton Flats on Saturday. The event is for Canada’s World Cup round-of-16 match against Morocco, with gates opening at 11 a.m. before the 1 p.m. kickoff. Admission is free, with four big screens, surround sound and capacity capped at 20,000.

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1:10 p.m.

Excitement is building in Vancouver ahead of tonight’s World Cup round-of-32 match between Algeria and Switzerland at BC Place. The Algerian Community of B.C. is planning a fan rally before marching to the stadium, with organizers expecting a couple hundred supporters to take part. “It’s a dream come true,” said community leader Nawel Allam, who has lived in B.C. for 35 years and calls seeing Algeria play in Vancouver a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. Swiss supporters, meanwhile, are pre-gaming at a pub in the city’s Gastown district before their march to the stadium.

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12:15 p.m.

Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari’s standout World Cup has been rewarded with a move to Bayern Munich. The 25-year-old has signed with the German powerhouse through June 2031 after moving from PSV Eindhoven. Saibari has scored three goals in four games for Morocco as well as the decisive penalty in a shootout win over the Netherlands. He is expected to face future Bayern teammate Alphonso Davies when Morocco meets Canada in Saturday’s round-of-16 match.

9 a.m.

Three more spots in the World Cup round of 16 are up for grabs Thursday, with two games in Canada as Portugal faces Croatia at 7 p.m. in Toronto and Switzerland meets Algeria at 11 p.m. in Vancouver. The Toronto match could mark the final World Cup appearance for Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, while extreme heat and the threat of thunderstorms are expected to be factors. Earlier, Spain meets Austria at 3 p.m. in Inglewood, Calif., with the winner advancing to the round of 16.


9 a.m.

Canada is on the training pitch in Houston as preparations continue for Saturday’s round-of-16 meeting with Morocco, with the squad training in sweltering Texas heat. Coach Jesse Marsch says managing player workload is a priority after more than a month together, with Canada looking to stay fresh against a Moroccan side that needed 120 minutes to advance. Canada earned its spot with a 1-0 win over South Africa on Sunday and is chasing a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2026.

The Canadian Press



by The Canadian Press