Canadian soccer fans are about to fall into a confusing spiral of emotion. It won’t necessarily be a negative spiral; in fact, I anticipate some genuine positivity and excitement within the spiral.
To be clear, the term ‘spiral’ gets a bad rap in sports. The truth is that depending on the context, a ‘spiral’ can also be associated with movement, progress, growth and transformation. That sounds just about right for a men’s team that will fight for not one but two trophies in 2025, which will serve as preparation for the 2026 World Cup when everything Canadian soccer-wise will spiral out of control into something that just might be truly wonderful
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. Let’s start with 2025. It will be confusing enough.
The Nation’s League semifinal against Mexico in March is relatively straightforward: Beat our Concacaf rivals to earn a berth in the final against either the United States or Panama and, with it, a crack at the nation’s first men’s trophy since 2001.
An easy concept, right? Ok, now it gets a little trickier because next summer is going to be as magnificent as it is overwhelming for soccer fans, not to mention the footballers, managers, directors of football, etc …
That’s because the new revamped and expanded FIFA Club World Cup will run from June 15th to July 13th. It will also be running head-to-head with the Concacaf Gold Cup, which is Canada’s second crack at some silverware next year! So, FIFA’S new crown jewel in 2025 — a club competition, no less — running at the same time as an international tourney.
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said last week ahead of the MLS Cup Final that although the league will shut down for part of the Club World Cup, it has not yet confirmed when or for how long. So, let’s put MLS aside for now.
What makes this all so confounding is that European soccer contracts generally run with a July 1st signing date. Meaning, out-of-contract players become free agents after June 30th — bang in the middle of the Club World Cup.
How does all this turmoil, whether it is free agency during the Club World Cup or the Gold Cup overlapping with that club competition, affect Canadian footballers?
Let’s start with contracts. As it stands, only three clubs at the Club World Cup feature Canadians:
- Stephen Eustaquio’s FC Porto has been drawn into Group A with Palmeiras, Al Ahly and Inter Miami.
- Tajon Buchanan’s Inter Milan are in Group C with Urawa Red Devils, Monterrey and River Plate.
- Alphonso Davies and Bayern Munich have been drawn with Auckland, Boca Juniors and Benfica in Group E.
Both Eustaquio and Buchanan have long-term deals that will not pose any problems next summer. However, you may have heard that Davies is playing out his contract and, unless he re-signs with Bayern Munich, will become a free agent on July 1st, while Bayern Munich are more than likely preparing for knock-out football at the tournament.
Here is what FIFA and UEFA have agreed upon:
An interim transfer window between June 1st and June 10th before the tournament kicks off. This will allow any player out of contract on July 1st to either find a new club before the tournament begins, or potentially sign a short two-week contract with his current club that will allow him to finish the Club World Cup before becoming a free agent. So essentially, it allows a club to release a player early from his contract, so that he can then join the new club he was going to join after his contract expired, anyway. The alternative would be free agents having to leave their club midway through the tourney, which obviously would not be ideal!
This scenario only affects Davies from a Canadian standpoint, unless another player is moved in that interim window to a team playing in the Club World Cup.
For argument’s sake, imagine that Manchester City sees Jonathan David as the solution to their problems and wants to partner him with Erling Haaland to terrorize the Club World Cup and later the Premier League. City could work out a deal with Lille to release David ahead of July 1st, when he’s scheduled to become a free agent. Understood?
Of course, this development would deprive Canadian national team manager Jesse Marsch of his most important player for the Gold Cup. Well, if the last few Gold Cup tournaments are any indication, then don’t expect the top stars to be at next summer’s edition anyway. It is becoming common practice for the top teams in Concacaf to rest many of their stars and use the Gold Cup to develop new talent instead.
In 2023 under John Herdman, Canada had 11 players making their Gold Cup debuts including names such as Moise Bombito and Ali Ahmed. Two years prior to that, Eustaquio, Buchanan, Alistair Johnston and Richie Laryea all cut their international teeth in tournament football. It is an invaluable platform for young talent.
Will Marsch follow suit, even if Canada fails to win the Nations League? Will a shot at a trophy motivate him to pick a first-string squad, sans those at the Club World Cup? That sounds like a good topic for a column closer to summer 2025.
Which, as I am sure you will agree, is shaping up to be a bit confusing, if not extremely exciting.
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