Canada and Australia Clash in High-Stakes Friendly Ahead of World Cup

On October 11th, 2025, Canada and Australia, the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, will face off in an international friendly in Montreal. This matchup serves as a crucial test for both teams as they continue their preparations for next summer's pivotal tournament.

Canada, led by manager Jesse Marsch, has been on a nine-match unbeaten run since March, including victories over the United States and in Europe against Romania and Wales. However, the team has suffered a major blow with the injury to rising defensive star Moise Bombito, who is expected to be sidelined for 4-5 months. Bombito's absence, along with the continued recovery of Alphonso Davies from an ACL tear, leaves Canada with some key personnel gaps to fill.

Despite these challenges, Canada's young talent continues to impress, with players like Promise David and Tani Oluwaseyi pushing for starting roles alongside the team's all-time leading goal scorer, Cyle Larin. The battle for the starting goalkeeper spot between Maxime Crepeau and Dayne St. Clair also adds an intriguing subplot to the match.

On the other side, Australia has undergone a generational shift, with ageing veterans like Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich being phased out in favor of a crop of promising young players. Headlining this group is 21-year-old Mohamed Toure, who has been in impressive form for his Danish club and scored a brace in Australia's recent friendly win over New Zealand. Toure's potential to supplant regular striker Mitch Duke will be a key storyline to watch.

As the World Cup co-hosts prepare to face off, both teams will be eager to use this match as a springboard towards their ultimate goal of success on the global stage next summer.