The World Cup is almost here, as just two matches separate us from opening day.
Tomorrow night in Edmonton, the Canadian Men's National Team begins its send-off tour with a friendly against a side that will also be participating in the upcoming tournament.
Canada against Uzbekistan at Commonwealth Stadium should be a fun game, so here's everything you need to know to prepare yourself.
How Canada enters this match
Canada have looked solid in recent outings, going unbeaten in their last six matches, although only two of those have ended in victory.
During the March international window, Canada played to a 2-2 draw against Iceland before following it up with a scoreless draw against Tunisia.
Discipline has also been an issue, with Canada seeing red in three of their last five matches, something Jesse Marsch will want addressed ahead of the World Cup.
As one of the three hosts of this year’s tournament, can Canada kick off a massive month with a statement victory?
How Uzbekistan enters this match
For the Asian side, this marks their first-ever World Cup appearance after an impressive 6-3-1 qualifying campaign that saw them finish second in their group, just behind Iran.
During the March international window, Uzbekistan defeated Gabon 3-1 before overcoming Venezuela on penalties following a scoreless draw in regulation time.
While they sit 20 places behind Les Rouges in the FIFA World Rankings, Uzbekistan should not be underestimated. The squad features several talented players capable of causing problems and making an impact on the match.
Head-to-head
Believe it or not, this will not be the first meeting between these two sides. Their only previous encounter came in 2016 at the Thermenstadion in Austria.
David Edgar opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Eldor Shomurodov equalized in the 62nd. An own goal from Akramzhon Komilov ultimately handed Canada a 2-1 victory.
A lot has changed since then. Canada now sits higher than Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Rankings, and both nations have undergone significant changes while enjoying the rise of talented new generations.
This matchup promises to be an intriguing one and should provide Canada with a strong test ahead of its opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Players to watch
From being heavily scrutinized at Feyenoord and Mallorca to becoming a key figure in Southampton’s late-season surge, Canada’s second all-time leading scorer has rediscovered his form at the perfect time. Brampton’s Cyle Larin enjoyed a productive loan spell with Southampton, scoring nine goals in 21 matches as the Saints reached the EFL Championship promotion playoffs and were set to play in the final before being removed from the competition due to a spying scandal. While that situation could impact Larin’s future, his performances in the Championship should attract plenty of interest, and a strong World Cup could open even more doors. The 31-year-old has endured a difficult stretch with the national team, having not scored for Les Rouges since a friendly against Panama in late 2024. These two friendlies present a great opportunity for Larin to remind Canadians just how dangerous he can be.
Uzbekistan's biggest star comes in the form of defender Abdulkodir Khusanov, who currently plays regular minutes at Premier League powerhouse Manchester City. Still just 22 years old, Khusanov has delivered impressive performances under Pep Guardiola and for the national team, earning 21 caps at a young age. A central figure in an Uzbek defence that conceded only seven goals during the final stage of qualification, he could make life difficult for Canada’s attack. If Les Rouges struggle to break down the Asian side, Khusanov will likely be a major reason why.
Availability
While it looks like Canada’s injured players will be fit enough for the tournament, some will likely not be available for Jesse Marsch’s selection.
Ali Ahmed, Alphonso Davies, Alfie Jones, Promise David, and Marcelo Flores are among the notable names. Ahmed and Davies are confirmed to miss this match, Jones has not played since December last year, with no update on his status, and David is still expected to be recovering from injury, with hopes he will be fit for the World Cup opener.
Flores, on the other hand, suffered a non-contact injury in Saturday’s Champions Cup final between Toluca and Tigres, and his status for the World Cup remains unconfirmed. He was walking on crutches and had difficulty putting weight on his leg. Tigres head coach Guido Pizarro said post-match that the big picture isn't encouraging, but that they await an official update.
Tigres UANL head coach Guido Pizarro on injury status of CanMNT 🇨🇦 winger Marcelo Flores 🎙️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 31, 2026
"Big picture? It's not encouraging. He felt that his knee was gone, so we will wait for the examinations to see the severity." pic.twitter.com/LRSxc0vsE7
Moïse Bombito could see minutes for the first time since his broken leg injury in October, while Richie Laryea could also be in line after missing the past month with a thigh injury.
Tajon Buchanan is eligible following his red card suspension.
Projected XIs
Canada (4-4-2): Dayne St. Clair; Alistair Johnston, Joel Waterman, Derek Cornelius, Niko Sigur; Tajon Buchanan, Ismaël Koné, Stephen Eustáquio (c), Liam Millar; Jonathan David, Cyle Larin
Uzbekistan (3-4-2-1): Abduvokhid Nematov; Abdulla Abdullaev, Husniddin Aliqulov, Abdulkodir Khusanov; Farrukh Sayfiev, Otabek Shukurov, Odiljon Hamrobekov, Sherzod Nasrullaev; Aziz Ganiev, Oston Urunov; Eldor Shomurodov (c)
Game information and how to watch
📆 Monday, June 1, 2026
⏰ 7:00 pm MT / 6:00 pm PT / 9:00 pm ET
📺 OneSoccer, TSN, RDS, FuboTV, Telus Optik TV Ch. 980
👤 TBA
🏟 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada
