Canada thrash Qatar in historic 6-0 first World Cup win

Canada thrashed Qatar in a historic 6-0 victory in their Group B match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at BC Place Stadium in Canada.

Canada started well early in the game with Cyle Larin scoring the opener in the 16th minute followed shortly with Jonathan David doubling the lead in the 29th minute. The two goals gave Canada the space to explore their attacking opportunities, build momentum and gain firm control of the game.

It started to go south for Qatar in the 33rd minute with a red card for Homam Al-Amin. An undermanned Qatari defense remained powerless to intercept a header by Larin that was converted to Canada’s third goal by David in the 45+3rd minute.

Starting the second half one man down and three goals behind, things couldn’t get worse for Qatar until Assim Madibo was sent off in the 53rd minute for a hard tackle against Ismael Kone. Canadian players huddled around Kone as medical staff rushed to the pitch with a stretcher as he had suffered a gruesome injury: Kone’s left shin appeared fractured and he was subsequently rushed to the hospital, ending his World Cup run prematurely.

Galvanized by the injury suffered by their teammate, Canada pressed on with renewed zeal. Nathan Saliba, subbed in place of Kone, scored his team’s fourth goal in the 64th minute from a free kick, dedicating it to Kone by holding up his shirt to the fans afterward.

Not taking their foot off the gas, Canada got their fifth goal in the 75th minute through an own goal by Mohamed Manai failing to clear Jacob Shaffelburg’s volley.

However, Canada was still not content with the score, ever pressing on for more. David’s powerful finish within the box got him the hat trick in the 90+2nd minute, becoming the first player to score a World Cup hat-trick on home soil since England's Geoff Hurst in 1966 in the process.

Canada also became the first team from outside of Europe and South America to score five or more goals in a FIFA World Cup match, according to Opta.

As a result of the game, Canada rose to the top of Group B, while Qatar sank to the bottom.