Canada's men's soccer team to resume training amid contract dispute

Canada's men's soccer team issued a statement Monday saying they planned to return to training that afternoon amid a contract dispute but had not reached a new agreement with Canada Soccer, the sport's national governing body.

A friendly game between Canada and Panama was called off at the last minute on Sunday when the athletes refused to play. Training sessions in Vancouver on Friday and Saturday were also cancelled due to the prolonged negotiations.

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Experts say the well of goodwill created by the on-field success of Canada's soccer teams in recent months is quickly drying up amid the heated dispute between the men's national team and Canada Soccer.

"This is probably the last thing Canada Soccer wanted to have happen," said Tom Mayenknecht, a Vancouver-based sports marketing expert. "This game was essentially a de facto celebration of the historic qualification for [the 2022 World Cup in] Qatar, and this is the exact opposite of what I think they needed."

While fans are sympathetic when an ailment like a sore throat or COVID-19 keeps their favourite singer or athlete from performing, they're less understanding when an event is scrubbed due to contract issues, said Moshe Lander, a sports economist at Concordia University.

"It doesn't matter how principled it is," he said. "It just rubs people the wrong way."

The contract dispute could also hurt efforts to draw in new soccer fans during a crucial time for Canadian soccer, Lander added.

"When you're trying to drum up interest in soccer, and really kind of get people excited, you can't afford to have these public relations snafus, even if they are principled," he said. "It's not the time