Toronto was buzzing with the excitement of hosting its first-ever World Cup matches, with the added bonus of its home team kicking off the festivities.
Canada opened group play Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina, coming from behind to draw, 1-1.
Playing World Cup host for the first time is a major achievement for Toronto, but also the country as a whole, Burlington, Ont., resident Tyler Collins said.
"It's less a point of pride and more a point of acknowledgement," he said. "It's an invitation to be an equal at the table of the global football community, but also the global sporting community."
But they’re far from the only teams present, with fans of countries like Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands also feeling the spirit.
"We are so proud, not just to have the game here, but to be inviting people on the street today. I've met people who've come from Morocco, someone from Bosnia and Herzegovina," Collins added. "I met people from Montreal, and someone came here from Calgary. It's so exciting to see all these people congregating for this special event."
Vedad Osmanovic and his family traveled from Bosnia to see the game, hoping to see their country's best chance at global success in several years.
There has been consistent support and a welcoming atmosphere from both his countrymen and fans of the host nation, Osmanovic said.
"It makes us feel good because we actually know that we're welcome here, and we can all be together as a team," he said. "No matter who wins and stuff, we'll still be happy."
Team Canada fan Wasseem Dirani was highly anticipating an opening victory, and said he hoped for a 2-0 win.
“You can see the crowd here that is just electric, and just the way they've transformed the stadium as well. It looks phenomenal," Dirani said. "So really looking forward to Canada getting their first win on home soil, it's a dream come true for me to come even watch it.”
Canada fell behind Bosnia and Herzegovina early, thanks to a goal midway through the first half. The host team evened the game at 1-1, scoring a goal with about 10 minutes left.
Dirani's partner, Amy Pipe, is excited to watch her own team visiting from the Caribbean, though it’s a starkly different team history.
“They are such a vibe. The Blue Wave from Curacao, they are the small tiny island, and they finally got to be here, and they just are joy," Pipe said. "They're full of joy, and that's what, I'm so happy to see them here.”
Curacao plays its first-ever World Cup match Sunday against Germany.
