Canada vs Morocco World Cup match sparks airline capacity surge to Houston

Canada’s historic round‑of‑16 clash with Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston on July 4 prompted a rapid increase in air travel capacity. WestJet announced larger aircraft on eight Calgary‑Houston flights, adding up to 42 seats per flight, while Air Canada upgraded its Toronto‑Houston service to a higher‑capacity plane. Royal Air Maroc also launched an exclusive Casablanca‑Houston route, operating 12 direct flights with more than 3,000 seats at a fixed price of 10,000 DH round‑trip.

Coach Jesse Marsch, who has not yet decided whether captain Alphonso Davies will start, highlighted his squad’s superior fitness, saying, “We’ve outrun every opponent, so we know we’re fit.” He stressed managing player load in the Texas heat, where training temperatures hit 34 °C.

The team has been buoyed by a wave of support messages, including ice‑hockey legend Wayne Gretzky’s text: “Look, I don’t know enough about football, but do we have a chance?” and encouragement from basketball star Steve Nash and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Fans across Canada are traveling to Houston, filling the newly added seats as the nation backs its team.