Cyle Larin will suit up for Team Canada in the nation’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, June 12 at 3 p.m. ET in Toronto, giving University of Connecticut fans a clear player to watch as the tournament plays out across North America.
Friday’s match kicks off Canada’s Group B schedule: Canada meets Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12 at 3 p.m. ET, faces Qatar on Thursday, June 18 at 6 p.m. ET in Vancouver and closes pool play against Switzerland on Wednesday, June 24 at 3 p.m. ET, also in Vancouver. The opener will air nationally on FOX in the United States, with Spanish-language coverage available on Peacock.
Larin’s presence carries extra interest for Husky followers because of the career he built at UConn. Recruited in the Class of 2013, he started 22 of 23 games that season, scored 14 goals, recorded five game-winning goals and added three assists. In 2014 he led the program with 21 points and nine goals in 16 games, with three assists, and won the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. He finished his two-year UConn career with 38 games, 23 goals and six assists for 52 points.
Those college numbers are part of why Larin is a recognizable name beyond Canadian soccer circles. After his two seasons at UConn he entered the pro ranks and was selected No. 1 overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City SC, becoming the third Husky to be chosen first overall and forming back-to-back No. 1 picks for UConn with Andre Blake in 2014; Chris Gbandi had been the program’s earlier No. 1 pick in 2002.
The World Cup itself is staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with 48 countries divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group advance to the elimination round along with eight third-place teams; teams earn two points for a win and one point for a draw in group play. The tournament will be reduced to a 32-team single-elimination bracket after pool play, and the final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
What remains unresolved for UConn fans and Canadian supporters alike is how much of Friday’s match — or the tournament overall — Larin will play. The roster listing confirms he is part of Canada’s matchday group, but the team has not released a starting lineup or minute projections ahead of kickoff. Whether he starts against Bosnia and Herzegovina or is brought on as a substitute will be the immediate question that determines how prominently UConn alumni figure into Canada’s opener.
After Friday’s game the practical path is clear: Canada’s next scheduled tests are Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24 in Vancouver; how much Larin factors into those lineups will shape his World Cup impact and the attention he draws from his alma mater. The most consequential open question at this moment is simple and exact — will Cyle Larin play enough minutes to matter in Canada’s bid to advance from Group B?
