Calen and Kelly Chellew came from Baton Rouge, La., for the game.
Calen, who was born in Canada, bought the tickets before the matchups had been set, but was elated to find out his team would be playing.
“It was fate,” Kelly said.
Shaun Stewart from Winnipeg made the journey south to see the game.
“It’s the first time ever that they’ve gotten this far. The last time with the World Cup was the first time they even scored a goal, so the fact that they’re in the top 16 of the world is pretty cool,” he said.
Canada recorded its first-ever knockout stage win at a men’s World Cup with its dramatic 1-0 win over South Africa in Los Angeles last week.
Today’s pre-game celebrations and watch parties are taking place in cities from the east to the west.
Canadian soccer supporters group The Voyageurs has posted a list of watch parties across the country to their Instagram. The supporters will also be marching to the stadium ahead of the game in Houston.
Some fans have expressed annoyance online that the game won’t be played in one of two Canadian World Cup stadiums.
Toronto hosted its last World Cup match on Thursday, and Vancouver is set to wrap up its stint next Tuesday. Fans in both cities can still attend the FIFA Fan Festival, which will continue to broadcast games until the end of the World Cup.
The winner of today’s game will meet either Paraguay or France in a quarterfinal matchup in Boston on July 9.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2026.
The Canadian Press