The Canadian men’s national football team will face Australia in an international friendly on 10 October at Stade Saputo in Montreal — marking their first appearance in the city since 2017.

Canada Soccer confirmed the fixture on Thursday, announcing the match as part of the team's ongoing preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Currently ranked 30th in the FIFA world rankings, Canada will meet the 26th-ranked Socceroos in what promises to be a competitive clash. The two sides have previously met on nine occasions, with Canada holding a slight edge in the head-to-head: three wins, five draws and just one defeat.

Australia secured their place in the upcoming World Cup with a 2–1 victory over Saudi Arabia in June.

The Canadian squad, led by head coach Jesse Marsch, will also play 14th-ranked Colombia in another friendly on 14 October at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

Their last outing in Montreal came in June 2017, when Canada defeated Curaçao 2–1. That match was particularly significant as it marked the international debut of current captain Alphonso Davies.

“We’re excited to be playing another high-quality match on home soil with our first game in Montreal since 2017,” said Marsch in a statement.
“Connecting the people’s team with the Canadian community is one of our main priorities as we build excitement ahead of our home FIFA World Cup in 2026.
We know how passionate the Quebec community is for our team, and we look forward to a packed house in October.”

Montreal will also serve as the host city for Canada’s final World Cup preparations in 2026, with a farewell fixture to be announced closer to the tournament. The final opponent will be determined by the World Cup draw and qualification outcomes.

Canada are set to host 13 matches during the World Cup — seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto.

In the lead-up to October’s friendlies, the Canadian team will travel to Europe in September to take on Romania (ranked 45th) on 5 September and Wales (29th) on 9 September.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams and spanning 16 host cities across the three nations. The tournament will take place from 11 June to 19 July 2026. The official draw is expected to take place in January.