Canada will play its home World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico next month at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, a venue with an artificial surface.
The Confederation of North and Central American and Carribbean Association Football announced the sites Friday.
Commonwealth Stadium has had Shaw Sports Turf Powerblade Elite 2.5S turf since 2016. Canada Soccer said it was tested July 19 and met the FIFA quality standard.
Canada played its first two home qualifiers of the final round at Toronto’s BMO Field, drawing Honduras 1-1 on Sept. 2 and beating El Salvador 3-0 on Sept. 8. It hosts Panama in Toronto on Oct. 13.
Canada, ranked 51st, announced its 27-man roster Friday for qualifiers at No. 9 Mexico on Oct. 7, at 59th-ranked Jamaica three days later and the match against No. 68 Panama, adding Toronto winger Jacob Shaffelburg. The 21-year-old, who has one international appearance, scored one goal and set up two in Toronto’s 3-2 comeback win over Cincinnati in Major League Soccer on Wednesday. He has two goals and four assists in his last four games for Toronto.
Derek Cornelius of Greece’s Panetolikos and Charles-Andreas Brym of FC Eindhoven in the Netherlands also were picked for the first time during this World Cup qualifying cycle.
Canada, seeking its first World Cup appearance since 1986, is tied with the United States for second in the eight-nation final round, in which each team plays 14 matches. The top three teams qualify for next year’s World Cup, and the fourth-place nation advances to a playoff.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Maxime Crepeau (Vancouver), James Pantemis (Montreal)
Defenders: Derek Cornelius (Panetolikos, Greece), Doneil Henry (Suwon South Korea), Kamal Miller (Montreal), Steven Vitoria (Moreirense, Portugal), Samuel Adekugbe (Hatayspor, Turkey), Zachary Brault-Guillard (Montreal), Alistair Johnston (Nashville, MLS), Richie Laryea (Toronto)
Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio (Paços de Ferreira, Portugal); Liam Fraser (Columbus Crew, MLS), Atiba Hutchinson, (Beşiktaş, Turkey); Mark-Anthony Kaye (Colorado, MLS), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto), Samuel Piette (Montreal), David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone, Scotland)
Forwards: Charles-Andreas Brym (FC Eindhoven, Netherlands), Lucas Cavallini (Vancouver, MLS), Jonathan David, (Lille, France), Cyle Larin (Besiktas, Turkey) Tajon Buchanan, (New England, MLS), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Muich, Germany), Junior Hoilett (Reading, England), Liam Millar (Basel, Switzerland), Jacob Shaffelburg (Toronto)
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
