Canadian national men's team returning to Edmonton for World Cup warm-up match
Edmonton soccer fans will get one last opportunity to see the Canadian Men’s National Team (CANMNT) warm up before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup is set to be played on Canadian soil for the first time later this year, with games set to be hosted in Vancouver and Toronto. Fans across the country will be cheering on Canada as they look to secure their first-ever victory at the tournament.
A lot of work is left to do for the Canadian squad as they warm up for the event. This includes a few friendlies to help get them into game shape when the World Cup kicks off on June 11.
One of Canada’s last warm-up games will be hosted in Edmonton, as the team announced that their international friendly against Uzbekistan will be hosted at Commonwealth Stadium on June 1.
“This match is an opportunity to connect with fans in Western Canada and showcase our team as we build toward the biggest tournament in our history,” said CANMNT coach Jesse Marsch in a release.
“We’ve been serious about saying that this is the people’s team, and we can’t wait to play in front of some of the best sports fans in the country.”
WE’RE COMING BACK, EDMONTON! 🍁
ON EST DE RETOUR, EDMONTON ! 🍁#CANMNT 🇨🇦🇺🇿 pic.twitter.com/xnoRumSIvr
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) January 14, 2026
This will be the first time that the CANMNT has played in the Alberta capital since November 2021, when they defeated Mexico in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. This will also be the team’s second-last match before the World Cup, with the last slated to be held in Montreal.
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack is confident the city will be a great host for the national team.
“This announcement is incredibly exciting for Edmonton – a city deeply passionate about sports,” Knack said in a release. “Together, with Edmonton’s passionate and supportive sports fans, we look forward to giving the team the ultimate send-off before the World Cup — a historic opportunity for Edmonton and soccer in Canada.”
Canada will face Uzbekistan for just the second time that the two nations have faced each other, and the first in almost a decade. In their only other meeting, in 2016, Canada defeated Uzbekistan by a score of 2-1 in an international friendly hosted in Austria.
There is no word whether or not Edmonton native and international soccer star Alphonso Davies will be in the lineup for Canada for the game.
Tickets for the match are set to go on sale at 10 a.m. MST on Jan. 23 on the Ticketmaster website.