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Fans July 01, 2017

Canada’s preparations underway at home for the CONCACAF Gold Cup

Canada prepares for CONCACAF Gold Cup

Canada have begun preparations for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a camp at home in Alliston, ON. Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team will have five days together just north of Toronto before heading to USA for the confederation championship.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the official national team championship of the confederation. Drawing large crowds and millions of television viewers from across the region, the CONCACAF Gold Cup is a celebration of soccer, sportsmanship, and culture. Canada will play their group matches on 7 July against French Guiana in Harrison, on 11 July against Costa Rica in Houston, and on 14 July against Honduras in Frisco just outside Dallas.

All of Canada’s matches will be broadcast on TSN, an official broadcaster for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

“We are very excited as everything is here for us to have a good camp,” said Octavio Zambrano, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Head Coach. “You can see a lot of versatility and diversity, two elements that we wanted on this team.”

Coach Zambrano has selected what he calls a “dynamic team” with speed, offensive, and defensive qualities. Following a handful of days in Alliston, the team will continue preparations in Sunrise, FL where they will play Nicaragua in a training scrimmage. The team then arrives flies into New York-New Jersey on 5 July.

“I’m very excited for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup: it will be my third while some other players it will be their first and they are excited,” said Samuel Piette, who is still only 22 years old. “We are looking forward to starting the tournament, showing what we can do, and demonstrating that we have a good team.”

Piette is one of nine returning players that has competed in past editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while 14 other players are making their debut in the confederation championship.

“It’s my first opportunity to play in a major international tournament for my country, so I am more than delighted and looking forward to the chance,” said Fraser Aird, who will make his CONCACAF Gold Cup debut this summer. “We are looking forward to buzz around the CONCACAF Gold Cup and to get going next Friday (against French Guiana).”

Canada are two-time CONCACAF champions, having won the CONCACAF Championship in 1985 and the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2000. Since the first edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991, Canada’s best finishes are first place in 2000 and semi-final finishes in 2002 and 2007.

CANADA IN TORONTO ON 2 SEPTEMBER
 Following the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team will return to Toronto to face CONCACAF rivals Jamaica on Saturday 2 September. Tickets to the Men’s International Friendly match start as low as $20 (plus applicable fees) and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster.ca, by phone at 1.855.985.5000, or in person at the BMO Field Box Office. As the match takes place during the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), all match tickets include free admission to the CNE grounds on match day. The 2 September match kicks off at 19.00 ET with complete ticket details at migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io/tickets.