A 2-0 semi-final loss to Argentina dashed Canada’s hopes of reaching the Copa America tournament final, but getting this far and achieving a surprising level of success was a major step forward.
“I’m really happy with the team and very happy with the progress we’ve made,” said Canada head coach Jesse Marsch.
At a soccer training camp in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, men’s soccer was the main topic of conversation.
“It’s awesome,” said St. Francis Xavier University women’s soccer player Rylin Matheson. “You can hear a buzz in Canada right now for men’s soccer that hasn’t really been there before.”
Tim Schwager, a 17-year-old soccer player, sees Canada’s success at the Copa America as an opportunity to grow soccer at all levels across the country.
“I think it shows kids that football is not just a European sport,” Schwager said.
Canada started the tournament in 48th place. They will now play in the third-place match on Saturday, which represents a nice cash haul for the team.
By reaching the Copa America semifinals on Tuesday, Canada has already pocketed US$4 million in prize money. It will earn another US$4 million or US$5 million depending on the outcome of Saturday’s match.
A Canadian soccer official told CTV News the money will go toward player compensation, tournament expenses, deficit reduction and general programming across the country — meaning local organizations will likely benefit.
“When the women’s program won the Olympics and the major tournaments, and the money started coming into the program, it eventually trickled down,” said Soccer Nova Scotia executive director Lindsay MacAskill.
Canada, Mexico and the United States will share the hosting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Canada can now look to the future with optimism and hope to be competitive given its performance at the Copa America tournament.
