Edmonton to host soccer friendly between Canada, Uzbekistan men’s national teams before World Cup

Edmonton will play host to a friendly soccer match between the Canadian and Uzbekistani men’s national teams on June 1 at Commonwealth Stadium.

Hometown hero and Canadian team captain Alphonso Davies will take the pitch in the first men’s national team appearance in Edmonton since the World Cup qualifier in 2022.

The Commonwealth Stadium game comes before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will see the first-ever men’s tournament matches played on Canadian soil in Vancouver and Toronto.

The 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to Jul. 19, is the first time the Uzbekistan team qualified for the tournament. Edmonton lost a bid to in 2022 to host the 2026 World Cup.

Canada will play host to 13 matches in the largest tournament in FIFA history with 48 countries participating in games across 16 North American cities.

Commonwealth Stadium has been the site of previous FIFA events, including the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the 2014 Under-20 Women’s World Cup and the 2007 Under-20 World Cup. It also served as the location for a friendly World Cup warm-up match in 1994 where Canada and eventual FIFA champions Brazil went 1-1.

June’s match will be the second time the 27th-ranked Canadians have played against Uzbekistan. Canada last defeated the 50th-ranked team 2-1 in a Jun. 2016 friendly in Austria. 

Tickets for the Edmonton friendly will be available starting Jan. 23.