Canada to face Australia as Christine Sinclair takes international bow in BC

Canada will line up against Australia for a two-match series in British Columbia this December as captain Christine Sinclair heads home for the last international series of her remarkable career. The two matches will mark the final farewell for the Canadian soccer icon as Canada returns to Langford’s Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island and Vancouver’s BC Place on the mainland.

“Competing against a top opposition in Australia will be critical in our preparation ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics and of course, it will be an incredible occasion in Vancouver to celebrate Christine’s historic, decorated career in her home town.”

Bev Priestman, Women’s National Team Head Coach, Canada Soccer

The first match, presented by Visa, is Friday 1 December in Langford (19.30 PT / 22.30 ET) which is just next to the provincial capital of Victoria on Vancouver Island. The second match, presented by CIBC, is Tuesday 5 December in Vancouver (19.00 PT / 22.00 ET), which just neighbours Sinclair’s hometown of Burnaby, British Columbia. Tickets sales to both matches will be available through a pre-sale window starting Wednesday 25 October and the public on-sale window starting Monday 30 October through CanadaSoccer.com.

The two international matches will provide a crucial opportunity for both sides to prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with Canada already qualified and Australia opening their qualification series in October 2023 followed by a potential AFC Olympic Play-In Series next February 2024. Canada recently beat Jamaica in a two-match Concacaf Olympic Play-In Series in September and will have a pair of matches against Brazil in Montréal and Halifax this 28 and 31 October. Australia are coming off their best-ever, fourth-place finish at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 and now have three qualification matches scheduled from 26 October to 1 November.

British Columbia has hosted some amazing international moments in the past, most recently a two-match series with Nigeria at BC Place and Starlight Stadium in April 2022 as part of a Celebration Tour to honour Canada’s Olympic champions. In that series, Canada officially celebrated Christine Sinclair’s all-time international goalscoring record in front of her family, friends and supporters with a Friday night win at BC Place. Jessie Fleming and Vanessa Gilles were the goalscorers while goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé took her final international bow. Three nights later, Sinclair scored early in the second half and then Shelina Zadorsky scored the late equaliser as Canada came from behind for a 2:2 draw on Vancouver Island.

Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team have an all-time international record of 13 wins, three draws and four losses in British Columbia, which includes FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 2002, Olympic Qualifiers in 2012 and Canada’s record-setting home FIFA World Cup in 2015. ​

Against Australia, Canada will have a score to settle after they were eliminated by the FIFA World Cup hosts in the group phase on 31 July in the most recent meeting between the two nations. The Australians were 4:0 winners on the day in the group finale at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. Just last year, Canada were the double winners for a two-match series in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia. Adriana Leon scored the 1:0 winner in the first match on 3 September as well as both goals in a come-from-behind 2:1 win three days later on 6 September.

TICKET INFORMATION ​
​​
​Tickets to the 1 December match at Langford’s Starlight Stadium and 5 December match at BC Place will launch with presale windows starting Wednesday 25 October followed by a public on-sale date of Monday 30 October via CanadaSoccer.com.

The advance presale windows will commence as follows: ​
​25 October : CanadaRED+GOLD and CanadaRED+WHITE members (staggered timing) ​
​26 October : All CanadaRED members ​
​27 October : Visa cardholders

*All CanadaRED+GOLD and CanadaRED+WHITE memberships must be purchased by 23.59 ET on Tuesday 24 October to be eligible to receive access the presale window starting Wednesday 25 October.

As the official payment services sponsor of Canada Soccer, Visa is offering cardholders an opportunity to purchase tickets in advance of the public on-sale date. As Canada Soccer’s preferred payment provider, Visa will be the only payment method accepted during the Visa presale.

Additional ticket information will be available shortly via migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io.

VOYAGEURS CANADIAN SUPPORTERS GROUP
​The Voyageurs Canadian Supporters Group has been allocated dedicated sections in both stadiums for the two-match series. For more information on securing tickets with the Voyageurs Canadian Supporters please visit www.thevoyageurs.org. Please note that persistent standing will be permitted in these sections.

CanadaRED MEMBERSHIP ​ ​
​Becoming a CanadaRED member is the best way for Canadian supporters to ensure an inside track on fan promotions, advance access to National Team home matches, and the latest information on Canada Soccer activity. Visit migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io for more information on the CanadaRED fan membership program and register to become official member of Canada’s growing soccer movement.

BROADCAST INFORMATION ​ ​ ​ ​
​Both matches will air live and exclusively on OneSoccer, available on the fuboTV Canada platform, as a linear channel on Telus’s Optik TV (Channel 980), as well as online at OneSoccer.ca and through the OneSoccer app, with the Friday evening match starting at 22.30 ET / 19.30 PT and the Tuesday night match starting at 22.00 ET / 19.00 PT. ​ Fans will find extended coverage across Canada Soccer’s digital channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube featuring the hashtag #CANWNT.