Ahead of their first group stage match against Germany at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) will play their final prep-match against Canada on Thursday 17 November at the United Arab Emirates. Canada, who have made remarkable progress in recent years, will be competing in their second FIFA World Cup™ after nine tournaments since the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico™, after finishing first in the final round of the Concacaf qualifiers. They will compete in Group F of the tournament against Belgium, Croatia and Morocco for a place in the knockout stages.

Unlike the regional powerhouses such as Mexico and the United States, who entered the Concacaf qualifiers from the final round, Canada’s path to Qatar started from the first round. Despite starting the final round, which began in September last year, in fourth place out of eight teams with one win and four draws, the team quickly found its momentum, winning six matches in a row and qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in a long time with one match left to play. Their record against Mexico and the USA was two wins and two draws as they won both matches at home.

As a result of their efforts to improve the environment for player development over the last decade, Canada have seen many up and coming talents emerge over the recent years. The most well-known player in the team is Alphonso Boyle DAVIES of FC Bayern Munich (Germany). He plays as a side-back for his club but is more often used in a more attacking position for the national team. Jonathan Christian DAVID, who like Davies is 22 years old, is a striker who helped LOSC Lille (France) win the league title in the 2020-21 season. While the youngsters are on the move, veterans such as 39-year-old Atiba HUTCHINSON are still going strong.

The team is led by English coach John HERDMAN, who made a name for himself in Canada by leading the women’s national team to back-to-back bronze medal finishes at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. His achievements led him to become head coach of the men's national team in January 2018, but on the soil he had prepared, the women's team blossomed with a gold medal at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

Canada will co-host the next World Cup in 2026 with the USA and Mexico. They will compete against Europe's top teams in Qatar, Croatia and Belgium, who placed second and third respectively in the most recent World Cup, but they undoubtedly want to achieve success before hosting their own tournament in four years’ time.

FIFA Ranking: 41st *As of 6 October 2022
FIFA World Cup™ Appearance: 1 time, 1986
Japan’s Head-to-head Record: 2 wins (5 goals, 1 conceded)

International Friendly Match

Date: Thu. 17 November 2022, 17:40 (22:40 Japan time)
Fixture: SAMURAI BLUE vs Canada National Team
Venue: Al-Maktoum Stadium (United Arab Emirates)

Tournament Information

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