The first match of the Round of 8 at the 2026 World Cup is here.

Canada and Morocco face off today, July 4 (8:00 p.m.), at NRG Stadium in Houston, with both teams aiming to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. The team that emerges victorious from this match will face the winner of the Paraguay vs. France match.

On the one hand, the hosts—the Canadians—who have advanced to the round of 32, are known for their ruthlessness. They began their journey in Group 1 and, after earning four points with a win over Qatar and a draw against Bosnia, they finished in second place—behind the Swiss—and qualified for the round of 32. There, they faced South Africa and, although they struggled, they prevailed and secured their spot in the next round of the tournament.

On the field, Jesse Marsch’s team will be at full strength, with no injury concerns, as they aim to capitalize on their chances for a historic advancement.

On the other hand, the Africans are undoubtedly one of the surprises of the World Cup. This is a team with a tough defensive approach that has so far found a way to get what it wants on the field. They finished the group stage in second place, behind only Brazil, earning 7 points with wins over Haiti and Scotland and a draw against the “Seleção” in their opener. In the Round of 32, they faced the Netherlands and, after a hard-fought battle, prevailed in a penalty shootout to advance.

Mohamed Wahbi’s team, boasting top-tier players such as Saibari, Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and the breakout star Bouadi, aims to go deep in the tournament, just as it did in 2022, when it reached the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar.

It’s worth noting that the two teams have faced off four times in the past, most recently at the World Cup in Qatar, where Morocco prevailed 2-1 in the group stage.

Probable starting lineups

Canada (Jesse Mars): Crepo – Johnston, Bobito, Cornelius, Laria – Buchanan, Saliba, Eustachio, Miller – David, Olubasegyi.

Morocco (Mohamed Wahbi): Bono – Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui – Bouadi, El Ainaoui – Brahim, Ounai, El Hanous – Saibari.

*photo source: AP