CanMNT Coach Eager for First Game on Home Soil

Jesse Marsch

Summary:

  • Canada’s coach for the men’s soccer team, Jesse Marsch, is looking forward to his first game on Canadian soil against Panama.
  • So far, over 22,200 tickets have been sold in Toronto for the international friendly.
  • The match will be played at the BMO Field which will stage the first of the 13 scheduled World Cup games in Canada in 2026.

With more than 22,200 tickets sold for the Panama game in Toronto as of Monday, Canada’s men’s soccer coach Jesse Marsch (pictured) is eagerly preparing for his first match on Canadian soil. 

After 10 games held in Europe and the US, this marks a significant moment for Marsch, as he is getting ready to lead the 38th-ranked Canadian team against No. 37 Panama in an international friendly at the BMO Field. 

The stadium will also be the stage for the first of 13 World Cup games in Canada on June 12, 2026.

Canada has not played at home since a 3-2 loss to Jamaica in November 2023, which snapped a 17-game home undefeated streak. 

Tuesday’s game against Panama also serves as a warm-up for Canada’s 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals, with the second leg set for November 19 at BMO Field.

Marsch’s Vision is “to Be Winners at the World Cup”

Under Marsch, Canada has a record of 2-3-5, with notable results including a penalty shootout loss to Uruguay and a shootout win over No. 40 Venezuela in the Copa America. 

Marsch sees significant potential in the squad.

We’re only scratching the surface, for me, in terms of how good I believe they can become. And obviously they’ve accelerated the learning curve with how they’ve performed and how they’ve adapted.

Marsch’s vision goes beyond short-term success.

My vision is not to win a game, not to get out of the group, but to be winners at the World Cup

As one of the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, alongside the US and Mexico, Canada will host 13 of the 48 tournament games, with six scheduled for BMO Field and seven at Vancouver’s B.C. Place. 

Marsch expects his team to play 20 to 30 games leading up to the tournament, relying on friendlies to fill the schedule outside of CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League matches. Which you can find the latest soccer odds with our extensive selection of top sportsbooks.

Massive Home Support

Canada’s recent camp in Montreal, which included an open practice and interactions with local youth clubs, offered the team a glimpse of the home support they can expect. 

Defender Derek Cornelius, who plays for Marseille, reflected on the impact the team is having on Canadian fans.

I feel like sometimes when you’re in the thick of it, you may forget about the impact you’re making on people around Canada

He also expressed excitement about the potential atmosphere during the 2026 World Cup if Canada performs well, recalling the team’s strong run in the Copa America this summer, where they reached the third-place game before losing to No. 11 Uruguay in a penalty shootout.

Despite Canada’s international schedule being highly congested, Marsch is still working on building out

a robust schedule that gives our players and our team the opportunity to play against the best opponents possible in the preparation for ’26.

The Canadians hold a 5-2-6 record against Panama, with their most recent victory being a 2-0 win in the Nations League semifinal last year in Las Vegas. 

Author Kaus is a freelance football writer, who prior to producing content for betting.ca, has written for Calciomercato, TheseFootballTimes, GetGermanFootball News and Manchester Evening News.