2026 World Cup: Canada Celebrates in Los Angeles—Here’s Why It Played in the U.S.

It wasn’t just about advancing to the round of 16—a historic achievement for the country. On the night Canada defeated South Africa 1-0 in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, the team also set another record. It is the first national team to play a World Cup match “abroad” while also serving as a host nation. The match, decided by Stephen Eustaquio, was held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. A peculiarity—as well as a first—that nevertheless has an all-too-logical explanation.

The schedule for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup had, in fact, already been set well before the group stage matches were played. And the schedule was clear: the second-place finisher in Group B (the same group that would have included Italy, had the Azzurri won their playoff against Bosnia) would play its Round of 16 match in Los Angeles. Only the group winner would have continued its run in the tournament in Canada—specifically in Vancouver.

The decisive factor, therefore, was Switzerland’s 2-1 victory over Canada on Wednesday, June 24 (in Vancouver, not coincidentally). The Swiss team’s victory ensured that Yann Sommer, Manuel Akanji, and their teammates would face Algeria in Vancouver in the match scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. Italian time. Canada, for its part, had to travel all the way to Los Angeles for what is so far the most important match in its history. And it made history for a reason that Japan and South Korea had managed to avoid during the 2002 co-hosted World Cup: playing an away match in their own World Cup.

What made the evening even more special for Canada was its star player: Stephen Eustaquio, who scored a stunning goal in the 92nd minute on the rebound after yet another save by the South African defense. It was a strike that put an end to a match dominated by Canada but long held in check by a tenacious South African team and goalkeeper Williams, who made several decisive saves. Canadian by birth and citizenship but Portuguese by heritage and career, Eustaquio came up through the youth ranks at União Leiria and played for Torreense, Leixões, Chaves, and Paços de Ferreira before joining Porto. He is still under contract with the Dragões, although the midfielder, born in 1996, has spent the last few months on loan to Los Angeles FC: almost a twist of fate, considering that he scored the most important goal in Canadian soccer history in the very city where he played until just a few weeks ago.

The victory also brought joy to a very special fan: rapper Drake, who had announced on social media that he had bet a whopping $770,000 on a Canadian win, with odds of 1.30 that netted him about $1 million. The bet was also sparked by a provocation from the famous South African DJ Black Coffee, who had teased the singer in a chat. This time, the infamous “Drake Curse” did not materialize, after it had previously struck, among others, Jannik Sinner at the 2025 US Open, who was defeated in the final by Carlos Alcaraz despite the rapper having bet $300,000 on the Italian tennis player.

In the round of 16, Jesse Marsch’s Canada will face the winner of the Netherlands-Morocco match, scheduled for the night of June 29–30 at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico. For the Canucks, this will be yet another historic moment in what is already the most thrilling World Cup ever played by the Maple Leaf national team. And it will continue once again abroad, this time on July 4, in sunny—and equally distant—Houston. And they call this a “home” World Cup…