Canada and Morocco Warm Up for World Cup Round of 16 in Houston

Canada and Morocco arrived in Houston for their World Cup round‑of‑16 warm‑up ahead of the match on July 4, 2026. Fans in the stadium displayed large Canadian maple‑leaf flags and Moroccan red attire, creating a mixed‑national atmosphere.

Canada’s coach Jesse Marsch made several changes to the starting XI, giving midfielder Niko Sigur his first World Cup start and fielding defenders Moïse Bombito and Luc de Fougerolles, while also including midfielder Ali Ahmed. Injured Canadian midfielders Ismaël Koné and Marcelo Flores were among those on the sidelines.

The Atlas Lions entered the game as the seventh‑ranked side and tournament favourites, while the 30th‑ranked Canadians were regarded as underdogs after beating South Africa in the round of 32. The warm‑up took place in the former home of the Houston Texans, drawing spectators wearing both nations’ colors as well as some American jerseys.