The Canadian men’s national team has fallen five spots in the FIFA Men’s World Rankings to No. 43 after a turbulent June international window.
Les Rouges twice had to scrap plans for a June 5 friendly. The original meeting against Iran was canceled amid geopolitical tensions. A quickly-arranged alternative fixture against Panama was then nixed because of a labor dispute between Canadian players and the national federation.
Head coach John Herdman’s team ultimately got in two Concacaf Nations League games, beating Curacao 4-0 at home and falling 2-1 to Honduras on the road. The highlight was getting Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies back in the mix after the Vancouver Whitecaps FC academy product missed their last two World Cup qualifying windows due to a COVID-related heart issue.
Canada, previously ranked No. 38, will likely play several more friendlies during the September international window, their last chance for tests ahead of the World Cup in November. At Qatar 2022, they’re drawn into Group F against Belgium (No. 2), Croatia (No. 15) and Morocco (No. 22).
Canada are the lowest-ranked nation of Concacaf’s World Cup-bound quartet, behind Mexico (No. 12), the United States (No. 14) and Costa Rica (No. 34). That’s despite topping the region’s qualification process and booking a first World Cup spot since 1986.
