Canada to face Ireland in final friendly before World Cup

The Canadian men’s national soccer team will play its final preparatory match ahead of co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, facing the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly on Friday, June 5. The match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Saputo Stadium in Montreal.

This contest serves as a final tune-up for Canada, which will open its World Cup campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12. The team enters the match in strong form, having gone seven games unbeaten and recording six clean sheets during that stretch, including a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan earlier this week. Under head coach Jesse Marsch, the squad features prominent players such as Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Juventus forward Jonathan David, though Davies is expected to miss the friendly.

Ireland arrives in Montreal looking to build momentum after failing to qualify for the World Cup. The team was eliminated in a UEFA playoff semifinal penalty shootout by Czechia in March. Since that defeat, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side has gone three matches unbeaten without conceding a goal, including a 1-0 win over Qatar in its last outing.

The match presents a rare meeting between the two nations at...