Canada’s men’s soccer team will play Ukraine and the Côte d’Ivoire in a four-team tournament called the Canadian Shield at Toronto’s BMO Field in June.
New Zealand will also take part in the competition which will see each team play two matches across two dates, June 7 and June 10.
Canada will open the tournament against Ukraine June 7, with New Zealand taking on the Cote d’Ivoire after. New Zealand will face Ukraine first on June 10, followed by Canada versus the Cote d’Ivoire.
Competitive matches will help Canada prepare for World Cup 2026
The Canadian Shield competition will serve as preparation for Toronto matches for the 2026 World Cup, which Canada is co-hosting with the United States and Mexico.
“Every competitive match from now until the World Cup will be critical to get our team the preparation it needs ahead of welcoming the world next year,” said Jesse Marsch, Canada’s head coach. “This is an extraordinary addition to our annual competitive calendar and to be able to play at home in front of our fans again will be really special for our guys.”
Ukraine ‘pleased’ to visit Canada’s Ukrainian community
The other nations are looking forward to participating in this new competition too. This is especially true of Ukraine, given the many Canadians who have Ukrainian heritage.
“Ukrainian community in Canada has always supported our national team worldwide and now it is our turn to visit them,” Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Association of Football, said in a statement. “Canada is a strong partner of Ukraine and we are pleased to accept this invitation.”
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Côte d’Ivoire coach Emerse Faé said the matches will help his team prepare for next year’s World Cup, should they qualify.
“We are used to playing against African teams, but this time, we will have the chance to test ourselves against North American and Oceanian teams, who have a different style of play,” he Faé said in at the statement. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for our development.”
Toronto will host six games at the 2026 World Cup. And the four matches in June will provide learnings for the city and its province ahead of the global event.
“We’re honoured to host the Canadian Shield Tournament right here in Ontario as we look forward to the World Cup coming to Canada in 2026,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.“This tournament will add to the already vibrant sports scene here in Toronto and across Ontario, and will showcase the incredible talent of our athletes and enthusiasm of our fans.”
The Canadian Shield tournament will also help Canada prepare for the Concacaf Gold Cup, which starts four days after the Toronto event.
