On Saturday night, the Canadian men's national team kick off 2026 with a friendly against Concacaf opposition Guatemala.
Three Canadian Premier League players, Atlético Ottawa's Noah Abatneh, Halifax Wanderers' Tiago Coimbra, and Inter Toronto's Shola Jimoh, have spent the week in camp battling with national team regulars like Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea and Joel Waterman, all in the hopes of making their senior national team debuts.
It looks like that dream could come true on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles (10 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET on OneSoccer). Speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Canadian men's national team head coach Jesse Marsch made it pretty clear that they will get that opportunity.
He pointed out that there are already "quite a few" CPL graduates in his regular player pool, particularly former Cavalry defender Waterman, but he revealed that some of the current CPLers may be in line for minutes on Saturday.
"We're going to see some CPL players on the pitch tomorrow, and they'll have their chance to make a case that they'll be ready for what the summer will bring," said Marsch.
This summer, of course, brings the main event: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As much as Abatneh, Coimbra and Jimoh face an uphill battle to compete for that squad, Marsch made it clear that he isn't closing any doors on Saturday.
"I told the team from the beginning that everyone at the camp has an opportunity to show well, and to make a point to the coaching staff that they can be ready even six months from now," said Marsch. "Obviously, that's a big challenge for guys that haven't been around and this being their first camp... but at the same time, we're looking for the best 26 players to give us the best chance to compete at this World Cup.
"Anyone who shows us that they're up to the challenge and ready to perform at that level will be heavily considered."
That makes the opportunity ahead of these players all the more intriguing on Saturday, and the match must-watch for any CPL fans who want to see how some of the league's best young talents perform on the international stage.
'Full circle moment': Joel Waterman on reuniting with Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Sitting next to Marsch during the press conference was Joel Waterman. The former CPL player has made himself a key part of the national team over the past few years, and was included in the 2022 World Cup squad.
This camp has been special for the 29-year-old Waterman, who now plays for the Chicago Fire in MLS and has 15 caps for Canada. That's because it has meant a reunion with his first-ever professional coach, Tommy Wheeldon Jr., who is part of the coaching staff for this camp.
"It's kind of a full circle moment for both of us to be a part of this and kind of going through it together this week," said Waterman. "It's been really fun."
Other CPL alumni in the camp include GAIS formerly (Atlético Ottawa, Valour) full-back Matteo de Brienne, and Portland Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis (formerly Valour). They, too, will be looking to make their senior national team debuts on Saturday.
