The Jamaicans trained in the morning.
The Nations League quarterfinal winners qualify for Copa America as guest CONCACAF teams. The losers will meet in a single-match elimination play-in in March to decide the two final CONCACAF entries in the 16-team tournament to be hosted by the United States next summer.
Making the Copa America field means facing elite opposition from outside CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. It’s something the Canadians desperately need ahead of co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.
The 10 CONMEBOL entries at Copa America feature seven teams currently ranked ahead of Canada, including World Cup champion Argentina (No. 1) and Brazil (No. 3).
“it’s a very important tournament,” said Canadian midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, who scored the winning goal Saturday in Jamaica. “Inside the locker room, we know how much of a big tournament it is. Probably the fans in Canada, they don’t really know the value of Copa America but for me in terms of passion and quality and intensity, it’s probably one of the best tournaments in the world.”
If all goes well Tuesday, the Canadian men will have their calendar set for the March (Nations League finals) and June-July (Copa America) windows. Biello said there was no word yet on possible games before the Copa America.
With Canada Soccer feeling the financial pinch, the Canadian men sat out the September international window and only played one match in…
