Priestman sticks with winning hand going into July's Women's World Cup qualifying tournament

For all of the Olympic glory the Canadian women's team has enjoyed over the last decade, success at the FIFA World Cup has managed to elude it. 

Canada has competed in seven World Cups since making its tournament debut in 1995, and has been eliminated in the group stage four times — including in 2011 when it finished in last place. Canada reached the semifinals in 2003, but it was unable to build upon that final-four showing in its two subsequent appearances in the knockout round, bowing out in the quarter-finals in 2015, when Canada played host to the tournament, and the round of 16 in 2019 in France. 

Next year's World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, could be different, though. Should the Canadians qualify, they'll go into the 2023 World Cup as one of the favourites based upon their standing as the reigning Olympic champions. 

To get there, Canada must first navigate its way through next month's CONCACAF W Championship, July 4-18 in Mexico, which serves as the qualifying competition. Sunday's international friendly vs. South Korea at Toronto's BMO Field is vital to the team's preparation for the CONCACAF qualifiers, as it's the only game it will play before flying to Mexico. 

Of the 28 players who make up the squad for Sunday's match, 21 were members of the gold-medal winning team from last summer's Tokyo Olympics. There are only three new faces in camp: goalkeepers Anna Karpenko and Lysianne Proulx, and fullback Bianca Bianca St-Georges. Only St-Georges (one cap) has previously played for Canada at senior level. 

WATCH | The Breakdown: Canada vs. South Korea:

MEDIA TO COME

In essence, what coach Bev Priestman has done is tip her hand about the path forward for the team ahead of next summer's World Cup,