Canada lands another top opponent for FIFA World Cup tune-up match
The Canadian men’s national soccer team has found another new opponent to help get them tuned up for next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Canada will face Ecuador on Nov. 13 at Toronto’s BMO Field. They’re ranked just ahead of the Canadians on the world stage: Ecuador holds the No. 25 rank, while Canada is currently at its all-time-high ranking of No. 28.
“Playing at home means so much to this group. It’s an opportunity to feel the nation rally behind us, fueling our team as we continue to build on the movement we’ve created. We’re excited to have another electric Toronto crowd as we close out our final matches before the World Cup year begins,” said Jesse Marsch, head coach of the Canadian men’s national team.
Like co-hosts Canada, Ecuador is already qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup. Ecuador has qualified for four of the past six FIFA World Cups, though they have only made it out of the group stage once. Canada, meanwhile, has lost all six of its matches in two FIFA World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022.
For those interested in attending the match, tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. PT/noon ET on Sept. 12 at Ticketmaster.
“For us, it’s an important challenge to face Canada. This friendly match will help us continue growing as a team and prepare for what’s ahead,” said Francisco Egas, president of the Ecuadorian Soccer Federation. “We hope to see many Ecuadorians in the stadium.”
What other matches does Canada have lined up?
Canada has four other friendlies currently lined up for the rest of the year, starting this week.
This Friday, Sept. 5, they’ll be heading to Bucharest to take on Romania, before travelling to Wales the following Tuesday, Sept. 9, to take on Wales.
Next month, they’ll host Australia in Montreal on Friday, Oct. 10, before heading down to New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium to take on Colombia on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
When does the FIFA World Cup start?
Canada is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in next year’s World Cup, in Toronto on June 12 and in Vancouver on June 18 and 24. The Canadian national team could also play up to an additional two knockout-round matches on Canadian soil, in the Round of 32 and the Round of 16, both in Vancouver.
Toronto and Vancouver will host a combined 13 matches (six in Toronto, seven in Vancouver), with the remainder of the tournament held in Mexico and the United States.
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