September and October 2024 friendly matches (plans, speculation, rumours etc.)

[TOcanadafan]

Need to beat these chumps again, I like it.

[narduch]

Westhead's latest hit piece is saying we will have a friendly with the USA

[gigi riva]

4 minutes ago, narduch said:

Westhead's latest hit piece is saying we will have a friendly with the USA

If thats true awesome  . I think the Americans may have  mentioned it too

[jhoops__]

16 minutes ago, narduch said:

Westhead's latest hit piece is saying we will have a friendly with the USA

Westhead’s piece coming out when the sun is shining a bit on Canada soccer is interesting.   

[SpursFlu]

1 minute ago, jhoops__ said:

Westhead’s piece coming out when the sun is shining a bit on Canada soccer is interesting.   

Feels more like predictable 

[gigi riva]

Just now, jhoops__ said:

Westhead’s piece coming out when the sun is shining a bit on Canada soccer is interesting.   

This is Canada we are not aloud to have something decent happening . always someone has to bring some from of negativity. I call it the Toronto Sun affect 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

16 minutes ago, narduch said:

Westhead's latest hit piece is saying we will have a friendly with the USA

Link:

https://www.tsn.ca/national-team-success-could-compound-canada-soccer-s-financial-woes-1.2091802

"While federation staff have secured friendly games for the men's team on June 6 against the Netherlands and two other games in late 2024 with the U.S. and Mexico, that's happened because the Dutch and U.S. soccer federations have agreed to cover most of the costs of those games, the Canada Soccer source told TSN."

[jhoops__]

Not sure it’s that unusual for the home side to cover costs…

[Obinna]

Just now, jhoops__ said:

Not sure it’s that unusual for the home side to cover costs…

Beat me to it. Seems like the status quo, no?

[CanadaFan123]

4 hours ago, jhoops__ said:

Not sure it’s that unusual for the home side to cover costs…

Oh it is but if it were the other way around as it was in June 2022 he would still criticize it. Players were underpaid but now they’re paid so much that we can’t afford to win. 

[Ottawafan]

15 hours ago, CanadaFan123 said:

Oh it is but if it were the other way around as it was in June 2022 he would still criticize it. Players were underpaid but now they’re paid so much that we can’t afford to win. 

Is it a stretch to think that while expenses and bonuses have gone up, the revenues and expected revenues haven't?  Leaving a shortfall.

[CanadaFan123]

46 minutes ago, Ottawafan said:

Is it a stretch to think that while expenses and bonuses have gone up, the revenues and expected revenues haven't?  Leaving a shortfall.

Not at all but you’re missing the point. 

[InglewoodJack]

Not a September friendly, but per Kloke’s article in the athletic today, there’s apparently the prospect of a second friendly in June vs a team competing in the euros.

[Watchmen]

24 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Not a September friendly, but per Kloke’s article in the athletic today, there’s apparently the prospect of a second friendly in June vs a team competing in the euros.

Right now, that's the more important friendly to lock down.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 2/26/2024 at 3:00 PM, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

UEFA: All teams will be playing UEFA Nations League.

OFC: New Zealand is free in September but not October. Same with the other (weaker) teams.

AFC: Weaker teams already knocked out of WCQing will be available. All the good teams will be in WCQing

CAF: African Cup of Nations qualifying. Only the four weakest nations will be free.

CONMEBOL: All will be playing WCQing

CONCACAF: All will be playing Nations League except for the top four rated teams, just like in 2023.

 

The schedule of other confederations hasn't changed except that we now know the available AFC Teams.

UEFA:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_C
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_D
Teams in League D mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.

OFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(OFC)

AFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_AFC_third_round

CAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Africa_Cup_of_Nations_qualification

CONMEBOL:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)

CONCACAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_C

 

Here is the list of teams we can play in September &/or October, sorted by current FIFA ranking:

11 USA 🇺🇸 
15 Mexico 🇲🇽 
43 Panama 🇵🇦 
➜ 🇨🇦 We are currently ranked 48th 🇨🇦
93 Syria 🇸🇾 
100 Thailand 🇹🇭 
102 Tajikistan 🇹🇯 
107 New Zealand 🇳🇿 (September only)
116 Vietnam 🇻🇳 
117 Lebanon 🇱🇧 
124 India 🇮🇳 
130 & below↓, other OFC Teams (September only)
135 Malaysia 🇲🇾 
144 Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 
147 Philippines 🇵🇭 
150 & below↓,  nineteen other AFC Teams
179 & below↓,  six CAF teams
I have excluded the teams in the UEFA Nations League D, as the logistics of playing them would be difficult and they mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.
All 6 of those UEFA teams are ranked below 150.

Edited June 23 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

The ranking list in the post above is why Mexico invited us to play in Arlington in September: slim pickins' as they say!
If the game against the USA (as reported by Westhead back on March 18th) is also in September, then our options for October are rather limited.

 

The rumour is that Thailand 🇹🇭 is looking to invite 3 teams for the King's Cup during the October FIFA window:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King's_Cup_(Thailand)
https://www.siamsport.co.th/football-thailand/thai-national/54825/

That same tabloid says that the Football Association of Thailand are actively looking to invite higher ranked teams (and as per the post above, we are one of only five available higher ranked teams they could invite) :
https://www.siamsport.co.th/football-thailand/thai-national/54333/

Edited June 23 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Mihairokov]

We sorely need to play more friendly matches in Canada, and so I'm hesitant to support the team going off to Thailand to play middling AFC sides. I'm not sure how much usefulness there would be in us playing Thailand and India. I think hosting teams like them at home would be fine as they would be something different from teams we have played recently.

[blueseeka]

2 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

 

The schedule of other confederations hasn't changed except that we now know the available AFC Teams.

UEFA:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_C
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_D
Teams in League D mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.

OFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(OFC)

AFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_AFC_third_round

CAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Africa_Cup_of_Nations_qualification

CONMEBOL:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)

CONCACAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_C

 

Here is the list of teams we can play in September &/or October, sorted by current FIFA ranking:

11 USA 🇺🇸 
15 Mexico 🇲🇽 
43 Panama 🇵🇦 
➜ 🇨🇦 We are currently ranked 48th 🇨🇦
93 Syria 🇸🇾 
100 Thailand 🇹🇭 
102 Tajikistan 🇹🇯 
107 New Zealand 🇳🇿 (September only)
116 Vietnam 🇻🇳 
117 Lebanon 🇱🇧 
124 India 🇮🇳 
130 & below↓, other OFC Teams (September only)
135 Malaysia 🇲🇾 
144 Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 
147 Philippines 🇵🇭 
150 & below↓,  nineteen other AFC Teams
179 & below↓,  six CAF teams
I have excluded the teams in the UEFA Nations League D, as the logistics of playing them would be difficult and they mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.
All 6 of those UEFA teams are ranked below 150.

Just a thanks to you @Olympique_de_Marseille. I truly appreciate the time and effort that you must spend on these updates.

This team will need games where they can incorporate the youth of LDF, Bair and Ahmed into a regular spot. If Thailand is offering a couple games in October, i think you take it. Be nice to have some home games but those teams won't sell many tickets

Edited June 23 by blueseeka

[Canuckia]

7 hours ago, blueseeka said:

Just a thanks to you @Olympique_de_Marseille. I truly appreciate the time and effort that you must spend on these updates.

This team will need games where they can incorporate the youth of LDF, Bair and Ahmed into a regular spot. If Thailand is offering a couple games in October, i think you take it. Be nice to have some home games but those teams won't sell many tickets

I agree, i think you bring the best team to camp and pretty much start the bench.

[narduch]

The US are announcing 3 of their 4 fall friendlies tomorrow 

[youllneverwalkalone]

Are we still expecting to be playing the US in that window?

Edited June 24 by youllneverwalkalone

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

17 minutes ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

Are we still expecting to be playing the US

Of all the reporting I've seen Rick Westhead do, I don't recall him making any actual mistakes or false statements.

Unflattering or somewhat misleading spin, yes, but never any actual lies.

I trust him. He's a Westhead, not a Dickhead.

https://www.tsn.ca/national-team-success-could-compound-canada-soccer-s-financial-woes-1.2091802

 

 

 

Edited June 24 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[TGAA_Star]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:49 PM, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

 

The schedule of other confederations hasn't changed except that we now know the available AFC Teams.

UEFA:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_C
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League_D
Teams in League D mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.

OFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(OFC)

AFC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_AFC_third_round

CAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Africa_Cup_of_Nations_qualification

CONMEBOL:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)

CONCACAF:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_CONCACAF_Nations_League_C

 

Here is the list of teams we can play in September &/or October, sorted by current FIFA ranking:

11 USA 🇺🇸 
15 Mexico 🇲🇽 
43 Panama 🇵🇦 
➜ 🇨🇦 We are currently ranked 48th 🇨🇦
93 Syria 🇸🇾 
100 Thailand 🇹🇭 
102 Tajikistan 🇹🇯 
107 New Zealand 🇳🇿 (September only)
116 Vietnam 🇻🇳 
117 Lebanon 🇱🇧 
124 India 🇮🇳 
130 & below↓, other OFC Teams (September only)
135 Malaysia 🇲🇾 
144 Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 
147 Philippines 🇵🇭 
150 & below↓,  nineteen other AFC Teams
179 & below↓,  six CAF teams
I have excluded the teams in the UEFA Nations League D, as the logistics of playing them would be difficult and they mostly already have friendlies scheduled as they are in groups of 3.
All 6 of those UEFA teams are ranked below 150.

I'll take friendlies potentially against New Zealand, Syria or Philippines 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

17 minutes ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

...in that window?

Either September or October because November is CNL.

September always made more sense than October (but that was just my speculation).

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

4 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

I'll take friendlies potentially against New Zealand, Syria or Philippines 

Lol. Bad take.

The CSA can't risk losing funding. And that is always at risk when playing Nations with dodgy human rights records (to say the least) and a big diaspora in Canada.

Re: The Iran friendly that never was

We're not travelling to Syria and we're not inviting Syria here to Canada. On neutral ground it may be possible but that's unlikely if Thailand has at least a similar amount of cash to throw at us.

Edited June 24 by Olympique_de_Marseille