With less than two weeks until the FIFA World Cup begins, Canada’s national men’s team is putting the final touches on preparations for a tournament 36 years in the making.
The team had only qualified once previously — in 1986 — which means a whole new generation of supporters are gearing up to cheer for the national squad as it enters the world’s top soccer tournament.
To help Canadians understand the path to a title win, and who might eventually prevail, CBC News has prepared a guide for bandwagon fans, with everything you need to know about the beautiful game — and Canada’s chances.
Soccer newbie, here! What basics should I know?
The World Cup is held every four years. Canada is one of 32 teams after qualifying in its continental federation’s tournament.
Qatar is hosting this year’s tournament (it’s controversial — more on that later) and will play the opening match against Ecuador on Nov. 20.
The World Cup final is scheduled for Dec. 18, with the winner taking home the FIFA World Cup trophy.
In case you were wondering, there’s also a Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand next July — and Canada will be playing.
The Al Thumama Stadium is pictured in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Qatar has spent tens of billions of dollars on new infrastructure for the World Cup. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
How does the competition work?
First, the group stage: The teams are separated into eight groups of four, and will play each team in their own group once. There will be four matches each day over a 12-day period.
In this stage, a win is worth three points, a draw worth one and a loss earns zero points. The top two teams from each group — that is, the teams with the most “points” — will advance to the knockout round.
The knockout round: The remaining 16 teams will play against different groups (for instance, the top team in group A will play the second-top team in group B). Each losing team is eliminated from the tournament until the semifinals, when there are four teams left. Two will advance to the final, while the remaining two will play for third place.
Who is Canada playing against?
Canada is in group F, so will play Belgium (Nov. 23), Croatia (Nov. 27) and Morocco (Dec. 1) in the group stage.
For the soccer uninitiated, that’s three tough matchups: Belgium is currently second in FIFA’s men’s rankings, Croatia lost the 2018 World Cup final to France, and Morocco was undefeated in its World Cup qualifying run.
So, we’re not going to win the World Cup?
Experts say probably not — but don’t let that get you down.
Remember: this is Canada’s second-ever World Cup. In 1986, the team lost all three games, without scoring.
Canada’s team sings the national anthem ahead of a friendly match against Qatar in Vienna on Sept. 23. (Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
“The benchmark of success, in some ways, is a goal … If they get a win, that would be enormous,” said soccer writer Chris Jones, who will be in Qatar covering the World Cup for CBC Sports.
“If Canada gets out of the group [stage], that’s incredible, like, that’s our version of winning the World Cup.”
Who’s likely to win, then?
Bookmakers are favouring Brazil to win the tournament, followed by Argentina, which hasn’t hoisted the Cup since 1986.
France, the 2018 champs, are third favourite, followed by England, whose fans are praying for their first World Cup title since 1966.
Brazil is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the World Cup. The team’s captain, Neymar, is pictured in Rio de Janeiro on June 23, 2021. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)
Tell me more about the Canadian team. Who should I name-drop?
Star midfielder Alphonso Davies is one of the world’s best young soccer players. Fans were left worried after the 22-year-old suffered a hamstring strain while playing for Bayern Munich over the weekend, but the German club told CBC News that Davies’ participation in the World Cup “is not at risk.”
A kid born in a refugee camp wasn’t supposed to make it! But here we are GOING TO THE WORLD CUP. Don’t let no one tell you that your dreams are unrealistic. KEEP DREAMING, KEEP ACHIEVING! <a href=”https://t.co/GT4hjz4ebO”>pic.twitter.com/GT4hjz4ebO</a>
Tajon Buchanan, 23, is also a rising international star who plays for Belgian First Division A side Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League. “This is a very exciting player. This is a guy who opposing defenders absolutely loathe dealing with because he’s so quick,” said soccer journalist John Molinaro, a CBC contributor and the founder of TFC Republic.
Captain Atiba Hutchinson is overcoming a long injury to play in his first World Cup. At 39, it’s also set to be his last. “From an emotional perspective, it’ll be fun to see him [play],” said Andi Petrillo, host of CBC Sports’ Soccer North.
Also keep an eye out for defensive midfielder Stephen Eustaquio and forward Jonathan David who are both heading to Qatar from standout seasons in Europe. “If you had to place a bet on which Canadian man was going to score the first goal in World Cup history, I think Jonathan David is a really good bet,” Jones said.
Soccer North host, Andi Petrillo gets you caught up with how Canada’s best did around globe this week in ‘Keeping Up with the Canadians’.
You mentioned there’s controversy around this World Cup. Tell me more?
There are several, including the heat, Qatar’s human rights record, Iran’s participation and, as has become the World Cup norm, corruption allegations involving FIFA.
First, the heat: Expect to see the players sweating in 30 C-plus temperatures. The tournament was moved from June-July to November to keep it a bit cooler. But that shift also means many players are coming straight from European and North American soccer seasons, without a break to acclimatize to the heat.
“They are probably going to be a bit more sloppy and slower, so to speak, in their play than if they were in a kind of a perfect thermal situation,” said Prof. Stephen Cheung, an expert in environmental stress on human physiology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont.
A migrant worker sleeps on a bench in front of Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Oct. 15. Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, including those constructing its World Cup stadiums, has been in the spotlight in the lead-up to the tournament. (Nariman El-Mofty/The Associated Press)
That heat has also proven deadly for potentially thousands of migrant workers in Qatar, a figure Qatar’s government disputes, which brings us to another controversy: Qatar’s human rights record.
Then there’s Iran’s participation: in recent days, Ukraine and international activists have called on FIFA to ban Iran from taking part due to its role supplying weapons to Russia, as well as its crackdown on activists.
FIFA has responded by telling teams to “focus on the football”, rather than human rights issues, at the same time as the football organization continues to be dogged by corruption allegations.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently wrote to the 32 teams participating in the World Cup, urging them to “focus on the football,” rather than human rights issues in Qatar. Infantino is pictured in Managua, Nicaragua, in August. (Inti Ocon/The Associated Press)
Yikes. OK. Anything else I should be watching for?
Two huge names in soccer are (probably) playing their final World Cup: Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Neither has ever won the World Cup, so hoisting the trophy during their final tournament would be a massive deal for either captain — and their country’s fans.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, left, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi are likely playing their final World Cup. Neither has won the trophy during their career. (Albert Gea/Reuters)
Any tips for my World Cup viewing schedule?
You can view the schedule so far here. Unfortunately for Canadian fans, World Cup kickoff times are between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET, which could make it challenging to tune in on a workday (especially from a bar), unless your boss is also a soccer fan.
Finally, am I supposed to say soccer or football?
Although Canada, the U.S. and Australia call the game “soccer,” the World Cup is officially a “football” competition, and FIFA is short for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. You can keep calling it soccer if you want — just be prepared for other teams’ fans to correct you.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
