The World Cup is coming to Canada for the first time in 2026. This means that there is a clear mandate to ensure an optimal state of readiness in the Canadian squad. The last year or so had suggested there was a lot of work to be done, and the team just narrowly managed to secure a spot in Copa America. But a lot has changed very quickly and suddenly, this looks like a Canadian team ready to build on the surprise run to the 2022 World Cup.
Copa America is never an easy tournament. The quality of CONMEBOL sides is generally high, refereeing is famously suspect and fan bases can be downright hostile as we saw in the Colombia-Uruguay game Wednesday night. As debutants, Canada was never going to have it easy, and the results reflect that. And yet, those same results reflect massive growth in a very short time window that led to this improbable semifinal run.
In our group, we had the champions of the world (Argentina), 2021 Copa America finalist Peru, and 2015-16 Copa America champs Chile. To come out of that group and win a spot in the knockout stages is a major accomplishment, especially after having to stare down the #1 ranked side in the world right off the bat. Holding tough sides like Peru and Chile scoreless is a big sign things are going in the right direction. Yes, we need to be more clinical with finishing, but we got the job done.
The biggest sign that our national team is developing the grit and character needed for 2026 came in the quarterfinals against Venezuela. The Salomon Rondon goal was a crushing blow against the run of play. We could have been up 2-0 or maybe more but no, it was now 1-1. It was important that the team not break in the face of that goal, and sure enough, they didn't allow it to, continuing to be the aggressor for the rest of it, and keeping their nerve to win on penalties.
The semifinal loss to Argentina shows that there's still some things to work on in order to beat the elite of the elite. Misplaced passes building up from the back are one point. Being careful with well-placed long balls as we saw on the Julian Alvarez goal is another. But the team showed character, playing without fear and taking the fight to Argentina. Tactical details can be refined with time but the grit is already there. They did more than enough to win the respect of even previously dismissive pundits.
So what's next? First off, the Uruguay game and a chance to leave with some hardware. 3rd place matters to us. It may not matter to others, but for us, winning this game would be a massive achievement. It represents a chance to beat a side that has won a World Cup, that has world class talent. To do that would nullify any remaining doubts about the Canadian soccer story.
After that, time will need to do its work. Jesse Marsch hasn't been around long, and while he's no doubt left a mark, there's lots for him to do with this young side. There will be some friendlies later this year to work on refining details and evaluating players that could force their way into the plan for 2026. Above all though, it's a chance to keep the momentum going, and get the players and fans alike fully bought into the idea that we can be the best in CONCACAF, and make lots of noise at our World Cup. There will be a Gold Cup next year also as another key test leading up to 2026.
And in the end, there will be the World Cup, our World Cup. By then, we hope to see the full maturation of what has been building here since the late 2010s. It is a chance to finally leave behind for good the discussions about missed opportunities and San Pedro Sula in 2012. It's a new era now. The way is forward. From youth level to domestic pro level, what the boys have done at Copa America will resonate for years to come. Canada is more than afterthought now. We're ready to compete with the best and gunning to be their equals. Mission 2026 appears to be going well.
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