CANMNT to play FIFA world-ranked #2 France in June window

Canada Soccer and the France Football Federation announced today that Canada’s Men’s National Team will play an international friendly against France in the upcoming June window. 

The match will take place on Sunday 9 June at The Matmut Atlantique, in Bordeaux, France. 

“This is impressive work by our staff to secure a friendly match against a top 5 team in the world. It demonstrates the ambitions we have as an organization benefiting our players and supporters as we prepare for major events such as the Copa América 2024 and the FIFA World Cup 2026. Playing against the best teams globally, like Les Bleus, will continue our growth as a soccer nation. We want to enhance our cultural, historical and sporting relationship with France and this is another step forward.” – Mathieu Chamberland, Chief Operating Officer, Canada Soccer

This will mark Canada’s second-ever meeting with the French. Canada lost 1-0 to France in the opening group stage match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico. Bruce Wilson and Michel Platini were the captains on the day for Canada and France respectively in which was Canada’s Men’s National Team debut at a Men’s FIFA World Cup. 

The match joins the already scheduled friendly against The Netherlands on 6 June, to round out the Men’s June FIFA window. The two matches will serve as key preparation for the upcoming 2024 Copa América, in which Canada recently qualified for following a 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in March. 

An exciting summer is set for Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, as they will face three current FIFA-ranked top 10 teams in a matter of weeks: Argentina (1), France (2) and Netherlands (7). In addition, this also marks their ninth current FIFA-ranked top 20 opponent in a little more than 18 months: Belgium (3), Croatia (10), USA (11), Morocco (13), Uruguay (15), Japan (18). 

2024 COPA AMÉRICA

The 2024 Copa América marks the 48th edition of the tournament, overseen by CONMEBOL, the governing body for South American football. This quadrennial event will take place in the United States in collaboration with CONCACAF. Scheduled from June 20 to July 14, 2024, the tournament’s victor will go on to compete in the 2025 CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions against the winner of UEFA Euro 2024.