FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers to begin in March 2021

A new schedule for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers will
​feature Concacaf matches starting in March 2021 as part of a revised
​international path for Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team. The new start date
​was announced after Concacaf and FIFA jointly agreed that the Concacaf
​Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will not be played in the FIFA
​match windows of October or November 2020.

Many parts of the region continue to have very challenging
​public health situations, which was a key factor in this decision.
​Additionally, several countries across the confederation have travel
​restrictions and quarantine requirements, which would make international
​football involving 30 national teams extremely difficult.

Canada have already been drawn into an initial round
​alongside Group B opponents Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Suriname. The
​schedule and locations for these matches will be announced at a later date,
​with health and safety a priority before any international travel. As always,
​Canada Soccer will continue to closely monitor all COVID-19 developments in
​consultation with the Public Health Agency of Canada and relevant governing bodies
​through the Canada Soccer Sport Medicine Committee to ensure the safety of all
​players and staff.

“Canada Soccer continues to prioritize the safety for all of
​our players and staff throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic,” said Peter
​Montopoli, Canada Soccer General Secretary. “With the gradual return of
​domestic football and our players back in action in leagues around the world,
​we are hopeful that we can soon have our players together again on the pitch
​for international football once it is safe to do so.”

There are 30 Concacaf nations scheduled to compete in the
​first round from which only the six group winners will advance to a second
​round of head-to-head knockout series. From the first round, the Group B winner
​will face the Group E winner in a second-round, head-to-head series, with the
​match dates and locations to be announced at a later date. The winner from that
​second round then advances to the Concacaf Final Round of eight nations in
​which each nation will play each opponent twice (once at home and once on the
​road).

CANADA SOCCER’S MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
​Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, two-time Concacaf champions, were one of only four nations that have finished top-six across all three of Concacaf major tournaments across the past three years: fifth place in Concacaf Nations League A and sixth place at both the 2017 and 2019 Concacaf Gold Cups. In 2019 against Concacaf’s top three nations, Canada earned a victory against USA in Concacaf Nations League as well as eliminated both Mexico (U-15) and Costa Rica (U-17) in Concacaf youth competitions.