Canada is advancing to the next round of the World Cup, but not as Group B champions. Switzerland has won Group B, while Canada will advance at the runner-up.
Heading into the final Group Stage matches, the two teams were tied atop the table. Canada held a sizable three-goal lead on Switzerland in the goal differential category. Yet, Switzerland was able to take this out of the equation with a 2-1 victory.
Bosnia and Herzegovina topped Qatar to finish third place in Group B. The United States now faces Bosnia in the Round of 32. Qatar has been eliminated from the World Cup.
Let’s take a look at the current World Cup Group B standings.
Final World Cup Standings Group B: Switzerland Tops Canada
Here’s a look at the final Group B standings. Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina will all advance to the Round of 32.
Canada will now leave home soil for the first time during the World Cup for their upcoming Round of 32 match in Los Angeles.
GD stands for goal differential.
| TEAM | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES | GD | POINTS |
| 1. Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 2. Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 3. Bosnia | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 4. Qatar | 0 | 1 | 2 | -8 | 1 |
Switzerland Topped Canada to Win Group B
Canada stood a good chance to win Group B, but Switzerland proved to be a strong opponent. Heading into the Canada-Switzerland game, The Athletic’s computer projections give Canada a 63% to win the group, while Switzerland has a 37% chance to sit atop the table.
Likewise, Canada had a 37% chance to be the Group B runner-up.
Canada Schedule: Who Will the Team Play in Next Round of World Cup?
As the Group B winner, Switzerland will remain in Vancouver to play their Round of 32 match on July 2, against a third-place team from Group E, F, G, I or J.
Algeria is a slight favorite to be the opponent at 26% followed by Iran (22%) and Mo Salah’s Egypt (21%). Canada will face the Group A runner-up in Los Angeles on June 28.
South Korea has a 77% chance to be the opponent in this matchup with South Africa a distant second at 17%. Canada’s preference would have been to have kept playing in Vancouver.
The team would have had a chance to play both their Round of 32 and Round of 16 games in Vancouver. Instead, Canada will hit the road to California.
Canada Manager Jesse Marsch: ‘We Want to Make This a Footballing Nation’
Canada coach Jesse Marsch has been a major talking point throughout the FIFA tournament. This might be part of Marsch’s plans to help grow the sport of soccer in Canada.
“I felt strongly that I could, through my personality, and through the football that I believe in, help continue to evolve the sport in the country to become something that people would really want to be a part of,” Marsch noted, per Yahoo Sports.
“We want to make this a footballing nation, a soccer nation.”
All three host nations (Canada, Mexico and the United States) have had a strong start to the World Cup with both Mexico and the United States winning their groups before the final Group Stage matches.
Canada Standings: FIFA World Cup Group B Final Table, Tiebreakers & Scenarios