The Canadian men’s national team took the pitch at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years on Wednesday, narrowly defeated 1-0 by Belgium on a goal late in the first half from Michy Batshuayi.
Excited about their team’s return to the biggest stage, fans who weren’t able to make the trip to Qatar packed watch parties and restaurants around the country or crowded around their TVs, eager to get a look as the team took on the side ranked number two in the world by FIFA.
Here are some sights and sounds from coast to coast and Qatar as Canadians watched their side lose narrowly to Belgium in the first of three group stage matches.
Canadians in Numbers ???#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/PD0y2fRej0
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) November 23, 2022
The penalty save ??
VICTORIA ?#CanMNT | #WeCan pic.twitter.com/fgEs1w9Xfe
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) November 23, 2022
— Jordan Hamilton (@jayhams) November 23, 2022
You ain’t seen NOTHIN’ yet! Go on boys! You make us all proud! Canada ?? #WeCAN
— Cavalry FC (@CPLCavalryFC) November 23, 2022
Ready to go!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/n8gHjFKjdf
— AJ Jakubec (@TheSuperAJ) November 23, 2022
Fill up at GCP pic.twitter.com/nGhe31lnuT
— Capital City Supporters Group (@CapitalCitySG) November 23, 2022
O Canada ?️
Fans from coast-to-coast-to-coast are tuning into this World Cup opener, and here's a view from a watch party in downtown Toronto ?#CanMNT I @carlsbergcanada pic.twitter.com/IkbMlT7g8W
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) November 23, 2022
? On the edge of our seats here in Halifax ?? pic.twitter.com/MIgjTqG65F
— Halifax Wanderers FC (@HFXWanderersFC) November 23, 2022
? Live from the Endzone Bar & Grill
CANADA! ? CANADA! ? CANADA! ? #ForgeFC | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/ubHwDOd9kt
— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) November 23, 2022
LETS GO CANADA ?? pic.twitter.com/Gq2A6smyUB
— Halifax Wanderers FC (@HFXWanderersFC) November 23, 2022
Oh Canada at the World Cup pic.twitter.com/JFbRM64vX7
— Kristian Jack (@KristianJack) November 23, 2022
Canada’s bench is truly out of this world ? ?
Cc. @Cmdr_Hadfield #Canmnt @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/fLBftmNjle
— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) November 23, 2022
Started from the bottom. #CanMNT pic.twitter.com/DkaWt9nOeL
— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) November 23, 2022
? ?? What. A. Game.
Thanks to everyone who joined us at @hfxsports for our first viewing party ?
See you Sunday! Limited table reservations are still available: https://t.co/1q7kQTRrS8 #TogetherFromAways #COYW pic.twitter.com/kWIOZWrAHl
— Halifax Wanderers FC (@HFXWanderersFC) November 23, 2022
Views from the viewing party ?? Let’s go Canada!! #CanMNT pic.twitter.com/20eLdHm2RV
— Pacific FC (@Pacificfccpl) November 23, 2022
Final post of another special day. Two games in one day, one very competitive group. ???????? #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/9txKxUbRui
— Kristian Jack (@KristianJack) November 23, 2022
Fans fit for the stage ?
World. Class.#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/10u4YMRwoW
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) November 23, 2022
My son @SamAdekugbe is in the world cup….oh my God. Hallelujah pic.twitter.com/9RDSkIy1df
— Dee Adekugbe (@Deeadekugbe) November 23, 2022
Oui, le Canada a perdu.
Mais avez-vous vu cette équipe?
Grosse fierté de les voir à l'oeuvre contre cette équipe belge.
Les dieux du foot étaient contre nous, mais un jour ils vont penser à nous.#CanMNT #FIFAWorldCup
— Nilton Jorge (@NiltonJorge) November 23, 2022
We lost the match, but we won the respect of the world. Make no mistake, today is the day the Canadian football landscape changed forever #CanMNT #FIFAWorldCup
— ?????? (@CratesOfFrates) November 23, 2022
The bad news – the #CanMNT lost their World Cup opener to Belgium, and are still without a World Cup goal
The good news – they played #2 in the world, Belgium, off the field for huge chunks. Not only that, but it's disappointing that they lost
This ?? team showed a lot tonight
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) November 23, 2022
❤️?? pic.twitter.com/y4lAEwIwUa
— Charlie O'Connor-Clarke (@charliejclarke) November 23, 2022
La sélection du Canada ?? donne une belle performance et donne beaucoup de crédibilité/ fierté au soccer canadien. Il y’a un coup à jouer dans ce groupe F.
À la suite contre la Croatie #CANMNT pic.twitter.com/gFnowV2deY
— Patrice Bernier (@pbernier10) November 23, 2022
Belgium 1, Canada 0. The first goal will have to wait. But the Canadians just showed the world who they are.#CanMNT
— Oliver Platt (@plattoli) November 23, 2022
Cheers =?#ForgeFC | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/PiG1tNctmQ
— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) November 23, 2022
It feels like there are *only* Canadians here a little over an hour before kickoff. And it feels like an OHL barn in here, too.
It’s happening! pic.twitter.com/teCdJ1FgkE
— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) November 23, 2022
A performance to build on. Canada showed that they belong on the world stage, and can compete with the very best ?#CanMNT https://t.co/FlThWp2lyB
— Benedict Rhodes (@BTFR17) November 23, 2022
Stephen Eustáquio just megged Kevin De Bruyne. I’d be okay if the World Cup ended now
— Michael Singh (@MichaelSingh94) November 23, 2022
Making all that noise @thevoyageurs #EuAhCanada#FifaWorldCup #WeCAN ??? pic.twitter.com/uOc4dYhAIj
— Brad Humber (@djcuse) November 23, 2022
Vibes are here with a full house at @DARBYMagazine DARBY HOUSE pic.twitter.com/VqTDhncrEB
— Andrew Hong (@ndrwhong) November 23, 2022
Cheering on the boys from @DARBYMagazine House in Toronto! ?? pic.twitter.com/DHRg7SrLXk
— TAYLOR JONΞS (@TJ) November 23, 2022