SQUAD REVEAL: Niko Sigur, Stephen Afrifa earn CanMNT call-ups for USMNT, Mexico tests (LIVE Q&A)
Media Release by Canada Soccer:
Canada Soccer has announced the selection of 23 players who will represent Canada in the September FIFA window.
Canada will face off against FIFA World Cup 26™ co-hosts USA on Saturday 7 September at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City at 16:00 ET / 13:00 PT and Mexico on Tuesday 10 September at AT&T Stadium in Dallas at 20:30 ET / 17:30 PT.
CANMNT Squad
Canada’s three goalkeepers this window will be Maxime Crépeau from Portland Timbers, Jonathan Sirois from CF Montréal, and Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota United FC.
Defenders selected are: Sam Adekugbe from Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Moïse Bombito from OGC Nice, Derek Cornelius from Olympique de Marseille, Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich, Alistair Johnston from Celtic FC, Richie Laryea from Toronto FC, Kamal Miller from Portland Timbers and Joel Waterman from CF Montréal.
Midfielders joining the group are: Ali Ahmed from Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Mathieu Choinière from Grasshopper Club Zurich, Stephen Eustáquio from FC Porto, Jonathan Osorio from Toronto FC and Niko Sigur from Hadjuk Split.
The rest of the squad will feature forwards: Stephen Afrifa from Sporting Kansas City, Theo Bair from AJ Auxerre, Jonathan David from LOSC Lille, Cyle Larin from RCD Mallorca, Liam Millar from Hull City, Tani Oluwaseyi from Minnesota United FC, and Jacob Shaffelburg from Nashville SC.
New Canadian Faces
Canada’s squad features a couple exciting new names who will be making their camp debuts for CANMNT.
Niko Sigur, born in Burnaby and eligible for Croatia, is an experienced 20-year-old who recently committed to Canada through a FIFA-approved one-time switch. Playing club football in Croatia for six-time Croatian First League winners Hadjuk Split, Sigur is nearing his 50th cap for the senior team and is a versatile player who has played in multiple positions across the midfield and defense.
Stephen Afrifa, born in Toronto and eligible for Ghana, is a 23-year-old winger having a breakout season in the MLS. Playing club football in the US for two-time MLS Cup champions Sporting KC, Afrifa has scored in all three competitions this season (MLS, Open Cup, Leagues Cup) and can play on either side of the pitch.
Broadcast Information
Both of CANMNT's matches in the September window will air live on OneSoccer, available on the fuboTV Canada platform, as a linear channel on Telus’s Optik TV (Channel 980), as well as online at OneSoccer.ca and through the OneSoccer app.
Upcoming Home Matches
Following the September FIFA Window, CANMNT will make its highly anticipated return to home soil as they face Panama on 15 October in Toronto. Tickets for the Canada-Panama match are on sale now via Ticketmaster.ca. Canada Soccer has also announced that its 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal second leg, will be played in Toronto on Tuesday 19 November.
2024 Copa América Recap
CANMNT are coming off an incredible run at the 2024 Copa América this summer in which Canada placed fourth, the highest of any Concacaf team at this summer’s tournament.
Canada impressed in their debut in South America’s premier international competition, qualifying out of Group A with the defending tournament champions Argentina and two-time winners of the competition in Chile and Peru. Canada then defeated Group B winners Venezuela in the quarterfinals before a defeat in the semifinal to Argentina and in the third-place game to Uruguay.
Defender Alistair Johnston was named to the CONMEBOL Copa América Team of the Tournament and multiple CANMNT players lead key statistical categories: Crépeau (Saves), Johnston (Tackles), Bombito & Cornelius (Clearances).
Canada rose eight spots in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking from 48th to 40th.
CANMNT A-Z
Player | Age | City in which they grew up | Notable Canadian youth clubs
Adekugbe, Sam | 29 | Calgary, AB, CAN | Calgary Foothills SC
Afrifa, Stephen | 23 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Woodbridge Strikers SC
Ahmed, Ali | 23 | Toronto, ON, CAN | North Toronto SC
Bair, Theo | 24 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | Ottawa Royals
Bombito, Moïse | 24 | Montréal, QC, CAN | CS Saint-Laurent
Choinière, Mathieu | 25 | St-Alexandre, QC, CAN | AS Haut-Richelieu
Cornelius, Derek | 26 | Ajax, ON, CAN | Ajax SC
Crépeau, Maxime | 30 | Candiac, QC, CAN | Ligue de soccer pour enfants de Candiac
David, Jonathan | 24 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | Ottawa Gloucester Dragons
Davies, Alphonso | 23 | Edmonton, AB, CAN | Edmonton Inter
Eustáquio, Stephen | 27 | Leamington, ON, CAN & Nazaré, POR | Leamington MS
Johnston, Alistair | 25 | Aurora, ON, CAN | Lakeshore SC
Larin, Cyle | 29 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Laryea, Richie | 29 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Club Uruguay Toronto
Millar, Liam | 24 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Miller, Kamal | 27 | Scarborough, ON, CAN | Scarborough Malvern SC
Oluwaseyi, Tani | 24 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | GPS Academy
Osorio, Jonathan | 32 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Toronto Futsal League
Shaffelburg, Jacob | 24 | Port Williams, NS, CAN | Valley United SC
Sigur, Niko | 20 | Burnaby, BC, CAN | Mountain United FC
Sirois, Jonathan | 23 | Lasalle, QC, CAN | CS St-Hubert
St. Clair, Dayne | 27 | Pickering, ON, CAN | Ephinay Church Soccer League
Waterman, Joel | 28 | Surrey, BC, CAN | Surrey United SC
