World Cup fans rush to Langford as Canada takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina

World Cup fans rush to Langford as Canada takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina

Published 6:25 pm Friday, June 12, 2026

Langford Station was packed for the Canada first game this tournament. (Liam Razzell/Goldstream News Gazette)

Sisters Alma and Aldijana Lemo were among the event’s few Bosnia and Herzegovina supporters.

Canada fans erupt with excitement as Canada scores against Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Liam Razzell/Goldstream News Gazette)

“With the weather as nice as it is, it’s nice to still be able to get outside, but also to be able to watch the games, get together with the community,” said Victoria soccer fan Grady Reid.

As the sun shone across Greater Victoria on Friday, hundreds of excited World Cup fans gathered at Langford Station to watch Canada take on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Just steps from Goldstream Avenue, the loud attendees, clutching hot dogs and cups topped to the rim with ice-cold beer, crowded around a massive LCD screen as the match began at noon.

Donning a bright-red jersey, Victoria soccer fan Grady Reid was just one of the dozens of attendees there early in support of Canada’s squad.

“Especially with the weather as nice as it is, it’s nice to still be able to get outside, but also to be able to watch the games, get together with the community,” he said. “There are lots of people wearing jerseys, wearing red out here, so it’s really cool to see and really nice to have opportunities like this.”

As the crowd quieted at half-time, with Bosnia and Herzegovina leading 1-0, Reid explained he’s hopeful the World Cup matches held close to home will inspire a new generation of soccer fans to fall in love with the game.

“It’s nice to have the matches being played in North America,” he said. “I feel like it’s a good way to grow the game in Canada, create inspiration for youth and then bring a community like this together out in Langford.”

While hundreds watched the game at Victoria’s Market Square, the Langford crowd grew increasingly rowdy as the game clock approached 90, and at 78 minutes, Cyle Larin netted Canada’s first goal of the game, sending cheers booming across the West Shore.

With just a few stoppage minutes played, the contest ended in a draw, giving Canada its first-ever World Cup point.

While Reid explained he ideally would have liked to see Canada win the game, he’s optimistic the team will make it out of its group stage, which also includes matches against Qatar and Switzerland.

“To see them get to the round of 32 or maybe even the round of 16, that would be awesome,” he said.

Among the sea of red watching the game, just two Bosnia and Herzegovina fans sported blue jerseys in support of their home country. Standing close to the screen, sisters Alma and Aldijana Lemo were among the few who didn’t sigh as Jojo Lukic scored Bosnia and Herzegovina’s only goal at the 21-minute mark.

The Langford residents, who moved to Canada from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995 amid the Bosnian War, explained that, for them, these matches are about a whole lot more than soccer.

“What a lot of people probably don’t realize is the reason that it means so much to our country, … is because we went through war and genocide,” said Alma.

Aldijana expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s about resilience, it’s about survival, it’s about being here in spite of trying to be erased,” she added. “We’re still here standing, so there’s a lot of national pride.”

While Alma explained that she was shaking with excitement as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s goal snuck past Canadian keeper Maxime Crepeau, rooting for her home country isn’t all roses.

“It’s kind of tough … because we live in Canada,” she said. “We are Canadian citizens, so it’s the two teams you would cheer for.”

Like Reid, the sisters hope the World Cup encourages more Canadians to pick up cleats, throw on shin pads and start taking shots.

Canada plays its next match against Qatar at 3 p.m. on June 18.

All World Cup games will be shown live at Langford Station.