Homecoming matches announced
The Canadian men’s national team is set to return home following its participation in the 2026 World Cup, with two friendly matches scheduled against Chile and Peru this fall. These games will mark the team’s first appearances in front of home fans since their historic run in the recent tournament.
Canada Soccer, in collaboration with the Federación de Fútbol de Chile (FFCh) and the Federación Peruana de Fútbol (FPF), confirmed the international matches will take place during the September-October FIFA window. The team will first host Chile at BMO Field in Toronto on September 26, followed by a match against Peru at Stade Saputo in Montreal on October 3.
Head coach Jesse Marsch expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming matches, stating that the momentum created for the sport in the country has been incredible. He emphasized that these games are an opportunity to thank the fans and build upon the team’s achievements at the World Cup, hoping for a significant turnout to celebrate the team’s return.
World Cup performance
Canada’s 2026 World Cup campaign was the most successful in the program’s history. The team began with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, securing its first-ever World Cup point. This was followed by a 6-0 victory over Qatar, which marked the program’s first World Cup win.
Despite a 2-1 loss to Switzerland in their final group stage match, Canada advanced to the knockout stage for the first time. The team then achieved its first-ever knockout match victory, defeating South Africa 1-0 in Los Angeles, with Stephen Eustáquio scoring a goal. Their World Cup journey concluded with a 3-0 defeat to Morocco in Houston.
During their World Cup run, the Canadian men’s national team set several records. They achieved their first Men’s World Cup point, win, knockout-stage appearance, and Round of 16 appearance. The 6-0 win against Qatar also represented the biggest-ever World Cup win margin by a CONCACAF nation and tied the biggest-ever win margin by a World Cup host nation.
Additionally, Canada became the first team outside Europe or South America to score six goals in a World Cup match. Jonathan David recorded the first hat trick by a CONCACAF player at a World Cup since 1930, scoring three goals against Qatar. The match against Qatar also became the most-watched World Cup Group Stage match on record in Canada.
Looking ahead
Beyond these two homecoming matches, Canada’s fall schedule includes the Concacaf Nations League A Quarterfinals in November. Having finished third in the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League A, Canada has received a direct bye into the quarterfinals, bypassing the September/October Group Stage.
The quarterfinals will feature a two-legged, home-and-away series based on cumulative goals. The winners of these quarterfinals will advance to the Concacaf Nations League Finals, scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in March 2027. The 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League also serves as a qualification pathway for the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup, with the four quarter-final winners directly qualifying for the Gold Cup.
Tickets for the matches against Chile and Peru will be available to the public beginning on July 31. Advance presale windows are available for CanadaRED members, who are encouraged to join or upgrade their memberships to secure early access to tickets. A Visa presale offer will also be available on July 30 at 10:00am ET, with Visa being the exclusive payment method during this period. Group discounts are offered for the match against Chile at BMO Field for groups of 10 or more tickets, with requests processed on a first-come, first-served basis starting July 31.
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Source: cp24.com
