Just five months before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Canadian national team protested and canceled the friendly match that it was going to play against Panama because they could not reach an agreement with the Canadian football managers regarding the prizes. And economic rewards after qualifying for the World Cup.
“The Canadian International Men’s Soccer match scheduled for Sunday, June 5th at BC Place has been cancelled. Additional details will be made available to all ticket purchasers.”
The Canadian men’s national soccer team’s international match scheduled for Sunday, June 5th at PC Place has been cancelled. Additional details will be provided to all ticket purchasers. pic.twitter.com/jUnxTTpZe5
– Canada Soccer (CanadaSoccerEN) 5 June 2022
Canada’s football chief, Nick Pontes, held a press conference in which he explained that they are disappointed in the team for not wanting to play the match against Panama. They stated that they are working on the agreements for the players.
“Football Canada is very disappointed with the decision of the men’s national team not to play today. […] We have worked with players in good faith to find a fair and equitable path for all. Canada Soccer adheres to the principles of fairness and fairness, and we believe we give our players a fair view. We are comparing our offer with the proposal of other national teams around the world.
In addition, Nick Pontes reported that they are also working to support the women’s team in terms of equal pay, as Canadian footballers are ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings.
On the issue of gender equality, Football Canada is committed to offering the exact same conditions to the women’s national team. “We are committed to supporting all our programs on an equal footing,” he concluded.
National Maple Leaf football players qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup after remaining at the helm of CONCACAF. For the World Cup, the Canadians will be in Group F, where they will face Belgium, Morocco and Croatia.
Canadian football players decided not to play the friendly match against Panama. However, next Thursday, June 9, they will play their first match in the CONCACAF Nations League against Curaçao and they will have to resolve their situation because it is an official match that could harm the team.