The Canadian Men’s National Team will face Japan in a pre-World Cup friendly in November, Canada Soccer have announced.
The match will take place at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai on November 17, just six days before Canada take on Belgium in their Group F opener.
Les Rouges already have two more warm-up matches slated later this month against host nation Qatar (September 23) and South American powerhouse Uruguay (September 27).
“With an eight-week gap between our September matches and our first match at the FIFA World Cup, it is important for our players to experience that level of international intensity with our pre-tournament match against Japan,” head coach John Herdman of the match.
“Japan have consistently progressed from the group stage at recent FIFA World Cups, so it will be a good test for the group.”
Canada are preparing for just their second-ever World Cup and first since 1986. Herdman’s side finished top of the Concacaf qualifying table with an 8-2-4 record, level with Mexico on 28 points and three points ahead of the United States.
Alongside Belgium, Canada will also face Croatia and Morocco in Group F.
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