Key Takeaways
- Canada will play Iceland and Tunisia in Toronto in late March as part of its penultimate international window before the World Cup.
- Concacaf World Cup qualifiers Haiti will also travel to Toronto to play Iceland and Tunisia.
- The friendlies will be a significant moment for Jesse Marsch’s preparations, with notable names expected to return to the national team.
- Alphonso Davies’ availability will be a major storyline, as he has been out for a year with an ACL injury.
- The friendlies will also see the return of other injured players, including Alistair Johnston and Moïse Bombito.
Introduction to Canada’s Upcoming Friendlies
Canada will play Iceland and Tunisia in Toronto in late March as part of its penultimate international window before June’s home World Cup. This was confirmed by multiple sources, and Canada Soccer is expected to announce the international friendlies this week. The friendlies will be a significant moment for Jesse Marsch’s preparations, as some notable names are expected to return to the national team and add another layer to the competition for World Cup roster spots. Concacaf World Cup qualifiers Haiti, ranked 84th in the world, will also travel to Toronto to play Iceland and Tunisia.
Tunisia’s World Cup Preparations
Tunisia, ranked 41st in the world, was recently eliminated in the Round of 16 at the African Cup of Nations. The "Eagles of Carthage" are also preparing for their third-straight World Cup appearance, and will face Japan, the Netherlands, and the winner of March’s UEFA Path B playoff between Albania, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine in Group F. Tunisia will open its World Cup campaign against the UEFA Path B playoff winner at AT&T Stadium in Texas on June 14. The friendlies against Canada and Haiti will be an important part of their preparations, as they look to fine-tune their team before the World Cup.
Iceland’s World Cup Qualifying Campaign
Iceland is currently ranked No. 74 in the world and finished third in their World Cup qualifying group behind France and Ukraine. The friendlies against Canada and Haiti will be an opportunity for them to test themselves against Concacaf opposition, and to prepare for their own future qualifying campaigns. Iceland’s participation in the friendlies will also give Canada a chance to face a European team, which will be valuable experience as they prepare to face teams like Qatar and Switzerland in the World Cup.
Canada’s World Cup Preparations
Canada’s March window will be a significant moment for Jesse Marsch’s preparations, as some notable names are expected to return to the national team. Returnees might include right back Alistair Johnston, sidelined at the end of 2025 with a hamstring injury, and central defender Moïse Bombito, who is expected to return to play for his club Nice in early March after recovering from a broken leg. All eyes, however, will be on Alphonso Davies’ availability and whether Canada’s captain will finally lead his country out again for a competitive match, one year after he tore his ACL during the Concacaf Nations League in March 2025.
Goalkeeping Situation
Another potential storyline to watch will be whether Marsch once again platoons his two top goalkeepers Maxime Crépeau and Dayne St. Clair. Since becoming Canada’s coach in spring 2024, Marsch has opted to split starts between Crépeau and St. Clair. Neither Crépeau nor St. Clair participated in January’s camp in Los Angeles after both made off-season MLS moves. Crépeau left Portland for Orlando City and St. Clair departed Minnesota United to become the starter for defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami. The friendlies will be an opportunity for both goalkeepers to stake their claim for a starting spot in the World Cup.
Canada’s World Cup Schedule
Scheduling the Iceland and Tunisia games comes a week after Canada Soccer announced the men’s team will play fellow World Cup participant Uzbekistan at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton at the beginning of June. After Edmonton, Canada will have one final friendly in Montreal against a yet to be determined opponent before opening its home World Cup campaign in Toronto on June 12. Canada will start its tournament in Group B against the winners of March’s UEFA Path A playoff between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Northern Ireland, and Wales. That playoff will also take place in March. Also in Group B, Canada is set to face Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24, both in Vancouver. The friendlies against Iceland and Tunisia will be an important part of Canada’s preparations for the World Cup, and will give them valuable experience against teams from different confederations.