Canadian WNT set to renew rivalry with U.S. in CONCACAF W Championship final with Olympic spot on the line

It seemed almost inevitable that Canada and the United States would be the last two nations standing at the end of the CONCACAF W Championship when the tournament in Mexico kicked off earlier this month. 

And so it came to pass, with the two rivals set to square off in Monday's final at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. 

The U.S., No. 1 in the current world rankings, and sixth-ranked Canada have already clinched berths at next year's FIFA World Cup by virtue of finishing in the top four of this competition. But winning the final offers much more than just bragging rights, as the CONCACAF champion will also automatically qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The runner-up will be forced to play the third-place team, either Costa Rica or Jamaica, in a playoff in September, 2023 to claim the other Olympic berth on offer in the region. 

"For any world class player or a coach, these are the games you live for. These are the games where you have to bring your absolute best to get a result. In finals, anything can happen on the day. But I think it'll be what we expect it to be, which is a fantastic game of football where both teams will do anything to secure that Olympic spot," Canadian coach Bev Priestman said.

Watch the final against the U.S. on CBC TV, CBC Gem and OneSoccer on Tuesday at 1:00 a.m. ET

The Americans have defeated the Canadians in each of their previous four encounters in the CONCACAF finals since the inaugural tournament in 1991. But Canada famously came out on top in its last meeting against its closest neighbours, earning a dramatic 1-0 win in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics en route to bringing home the gold. 

That result marked Canada's first win over the U.S. since 2001, and ended a 37-game winless skid