Canada lose home advantage for knockout stage in loss to Switzerland at FIFA World Cup

Thursday, 25 June 2026

Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi both scored to give Switzerland a 2-1 victory over Canada on Thursday (NZ time) at the World Cup as both teams advanced to the knockout round.

Promise David scored a late goal for Canada, who took second place in Group B behind the Swiss and earned a spot in the knockout round for the first time in their history.

Switzerland will face a third-place finisher on July 2 in Vancouver in the round of 32. Canada needed a win or a draw to finish at the top of the group and stay on home soil, but instead will travel to Inglewood, California, for their next game on Monday (NZ time) against the second-place finisher in Group B.

After a scoreless first half, Vargas put the Swiss ahead early in the second. Manzambi, who started after coming off the bench and scoring two goals in a 4-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, added a goal in the 57th.

Canada pulled a goal back in the 76th. David's volley came on his first touch of the game about a minute after coming on as a substitute.

Bosnia beat Qatar 3-1 in the other Group B match and could still advance as a third-place team. Qatar have been eliminated.

Johan Manzambi scored Switzerland's second in Vancouver.

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