
Canada find themselves in a unprecedented World Cup scenario that has never happened in the competition's 96-year history.
Jesse Marsch's side secured passage into the round of 32 despite a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in Vancouver, where both Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi were on target.
Promise David pulled one back in the 76th minute for Canada, who finished second in Group B ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina courtesy of their superior goal difference.
For the first time in their history, Canada have made it to the knockout stages of the World Cup at the third attempt.
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As one of three co-hosts, all three of their group games took place on home soil. The opener against Bosnia in Toronto before Canada played Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver.
However, because they failed to avoid defeat to the Swiss, they now relinquish home advantage for the next stage.
READ MORE: Every team already qualified for World Cup knockouts as seven eliminated
They are poised to play South Africa at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday in what will be a historic fixture.
That's because it will be the first time that a host nation has played a World Cup game in a different country.
Canada give up home advantage as they prepare for rare World Cup history
Three games will still take place in Canada, with Toronto and Vancouver getting last 32 matches and the latter also staging a round of 16 clash to complete their hosting.
Canada do only have themselves to blame for not playing in front of their own fans as topping group B would have seen them continue playing at home.
"It's been awesome, and that's the disappointment because we just want to continue the energy we have had here in Canada," manager Marsch commented afterwards.
"But we are going to LA, and it's probably going to be an away crowd, so it will be tougher, but we still want to electrify our country and play really well down there. We're exactly where we want to be. We are in the knockout stage now, so let's go for it."
If Canada see off South Africa, their round of 16 fixture will also take place in Houston, Texas in the United States - on 4 July of all dates.
Because the United States and Mexico topped their respective groups, their round of 32 games and potential last 16 encounters will be on home soil.
The USA have the most games out of all three co-hosts, staging 78 of the 104 games in the revamped 48-team tournament.
It means that if Mauricio Pochettino's men do continue to progress, all of the remaining matches will be at home.
Kristian Jack, a correspondent for the Canada national team for One Soccer, believes there should have been a workaround for Canada to still play in front of their own supporters.
He stated: "There's other games in the round of 32 that are happening in this country [Canada] and this could easily have been avoided. I've been talking about this a long time to Fifa and Canada Soccer about this exact scenario.
"If you are a co-host and you are having two games in the last 32, it could have easily been organised where Canada may have had to go to Toronto, if it wasn't Vancouver, to stay here [in Canada] and then we would not have to talk about these contrasting emotions of them qualifying for a World Cup last 32 but letting go of that home advantage."
The 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco but as it is the 100th anniversary of the World Cup, one game will be held in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Topics: Football World Cup