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Thousands of Bosnian fans turned Toronto blue as they marched to ‘Free Palestine’ chants in Toronto.
Toronto, Canada – Nadia, an unnamed Bosnia and Herzegovina supporter, appeared in her dark blue shirt as red-adorned Canadian fans surrounded her outside Toronto Stadium an hour before kick-off in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
With the blue and yellow Bosnian flag draped around him, he found himself among the few “faraways” on Canadian soil Thursday, less than two weeks after his team was warmly welcomed to the World Cup host nation.
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It reminded Nadia, an immigrant, of her arrival in Canada in the mid-1990s when her family fled the Bosnian genocide that killed nearly 100,000 people and displaced more than two million.
“I would have two hearts to support all my countries,” Nadia told Al Jazeera when asked about her loyalty as the crowd roared into the stadium behind her.
Nadia admitted that her heart was in Bosnia, but the Canadian hat she sported was a nod to the country she became home to after fleeing her homeland.
Earlier, thousands of Bosnian supporters turned Toronto into a sea of blue as they marched towards the city’s match venue chanting “Free Palestine” and clapping loudly.
“They (Palestine) should be free, enough with war and killing people,” said Nadia with tears in her eyes. He took a deep breath before saying: “There is a lot of suffering, especially for children.”
Cultures mix in Toronto
Dan, a Bosnian aid worker in his 40s, was the same age as his primary school-aged son when he fled the genocide in his country.
The pair enjoyed the game and got into the atmosphere among the 45,000-plus fans at the stadium before returning slightly disappointed with the draw.
The day Canada opened its first World Cup it was a mix of information for Bosnian fans who had moved to other countries as they shared the big shows and sold their jerseys and numbers.
Every color of skin and the many languages of the women made this square and the festival of the people of the neighborhood known in Toronto as a place of different cultures.
The fan festival boasted a large crowd of football fans – solid supporters with expert lighting, full of foul-mouthed misses, and those who attended for the vibes.
Aside from soccer, several Canadian fans were disgusted by their southern neighbor’s immigration laws. They were proud to be known for their hospitality at the 48-nation tournament in North America.
Admir, an avid traveler from Bosnia, was full of praise for Canadian hospitality when he arrived from New Jersey.
“Everyone from ordinary people to stadium workers to restaurant owners has been very welcoming since we got here,” he told Al Jazeera before kick-off.
Compared to the number of horror stories about immigrants trying to enter the US, his trip to Canada was uneventful.
Despite his country’s eight World Cup appearances, Admir chose to pay the exorbitant ticket price to see Bosnia, who returned to the World Cup after 12 years following a fairytale qualification.
The sun blew away many die-hard fans after the game, but not Tanya, who drove seven hours from New York to Toronto on Thursday morning.
“The atmosphere at the fan festival was amazing; Toronto has been great.”
“I think our guys played well,” he said of the game. “We didn’t win, but it wasn’t a loss either.”
