Canada Soccer announced Monday that its women’s national team will face the United States in a friendly match at the Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on July 2 this year.
The clash termed as the Allstate Continental Clásico will be held a day after Canada Day and provides the Canadians a chance to test themselves against the top-ranked USA team.
It will also be an opportunity for the Les Rouges to erase an unflattering, forgettable record.
The last time Canada beat the USA on American soil was in November 2000 during a friendly match played in Columbus, Ohio. The Canadians won 3-1 that day.
Coach Stoney set for major test
The match will also be a major test for head coach Casey Stoney, who replaced Bev Priestman after a drone-spying scandal that shook Canada Soccer last year.
“Facing the Olympic champions will be a great test for us. They were the best in the world in 2024 and will challenge us in areas we have been tested in yet this year. This will be a great opportunity to test ourselves and give us a barometer of where we are and what work we need to do to progress and prepare for the future,” said Stoney.
The former England women’s captain, who captained Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, has had a solid start to her managerial campaign with two wins and one draw.
In her debut outing as a manager earlier this year, she guided Canada to lift the 2025 Pinatar Cup – an invitational women’s soccer tournament.
Another chapter in a riveting rivalry
The Canada-USA rivalry is one of the most historic battles and dates all the way back to 1986 – the year when the Canadian women’s national soccer team was founded.
The Allstate Continental Clásico meeting will be the 67th time the two teams meet. The Canadians have won just four of the previous clashes and will hope to improve their record.
The last time the Reds got the better of their southern rivals was during their historic gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, winning 1-0 in the semifinal courtesy of a second-half Jessie Fleming penalty.
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The most recent meeting between the two North American neighbours was when they battled at the SheBelieves Cup in April last year. USA edged Canada 5-4 in a closely-contested penalty shootout that day after the match ended 2-2 in regulation time.
This match falls within FIFA’s June/July international window. Canada is slated to face another team during this period, with details to be announced later
Before the USA clash, Canada will face Argentina in a two-match friendly series next week, with games in Vancouver (April 4) and Langford (April 8), B.C.
