New international soccer tournament coming to Toronto ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Four countries are bringing their national soccer teams to Toronto this weekend for the final major tournament the city will host before it takes on several World Cup games next year.

The Canadian Shield Tournament kicks off at BMO Field on Saturday and features four national men's soccer teams — Canada, Ukraine, New Zealand and Ivory Coast. 

The tournament is meant to prepare the teams for next year's FIFA World Cup, according to Canada Soccer.

Canada's head coach Jesse Marsch said his team is excited for the challenge that comes with taking on these strong opponents. 

"It's a chance for all of us to competitively make sure that our teams are making steps forward and it will be, I think, a great experience for the fans [in] anticipation of what the World Cup will be next summer," Marsch said at a news conference on Friday. 

Canada's team is also set to receive a new addition, as Toronto FC's captain Jonathan Osorio will be joining their roster, according to a Canada Soccer news release Thursday. 

The inaugural match takes place Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with Canada facing off against Ukraine. The second match of the day will be played between New Zealand and Ivory Coast.

The rest of the matches will take place on Tuesday. 

"We are fixed now on the very difficult match we have tomorrow, but looking ahead to Tuesday, we know that we will need to use a real breadth of our squad for both matches because both will be physically demanding and also tactically demanding," Marsch said. 

The tournament is a chance for soccer fans to watch some of the best players from around the world battle it out, but it's also an opportunity for the city to show its ability to run a major tournament — and manage any potential challenges that may