It’s getting very serious for the Canadian men’s team with the 2026 FIFA World Cup just nine months away.

As co-host, Canada’s place at the World Cup is secured, as it doesn’t have to go through the gruelling Concacaf qualification process. But that’s also a double-edged sword as the Canadians will only play 10 exhibition games across five FIFA-sanctioned windows ahead of the World Cup.

That’s why Canada’s upcoming matches vs. Romania (Friday in Bucharest) and Wales (next Tuesday in Swansea) are so important. Time is short, and competitive games are few and far between, so Canada has to make the most of the few opportunities it has to come together as a team in order to properly prepare for the World Cup.

Canada is 28th in the FIFA world rankings (its highest ever ranking), sitting abov

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