VANCOUVER — Canada Soccer expects to set an attendance record when the men’s national team meets Mexico on Friday in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
General secretary Peter Montopoli announced at a Tuesday press conference that more than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the match at B.C. Place Stadium.
With less than 5,000 seats still available, Montopoli projects there will be a full house — a number that would establish a new mark for a Canadian national team game on home soil in any sport.
The current record was set in June when the women’s team lost to England in the World Cup quarter-finals before 54,027 at B.C. Place.
The Canadian men’s team played Brazil in front of 51,936 in Edmonton back in 1994.
Mexico, ranked 22nd in the world by FIFA, sits first in Pool A in the penultimate round of CONCACAF qualifying with six points from two matches. No. 87 Canada is second with four points, ahead of No. 99 El Salvador (one point) and No. 89 Honduras (no points).
Canada plays in Mexico on Tuesday.
The Canadians will visit Honduras and host El Salvador later this year, with the top two teams in the group advancing to the final stage of qualifying.