Wales to Face Canada in International Friendly
Wales to Face Canada in International Friendly
Venue: Swansea.com Stadium Date: Tuesday, 9 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Live on iPlayer, BBC One, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, and Sounds, along with the BBC Sport website and app, featuring live text commentary.
Wales head coach Craig Bellamy expressed confidence ahead of the upcoming friendly against Canada, stating that he is not concerned about the possibility of a loss. He selected Canada as opponents to ensure his team faces a challenging test.
Ranked three places higher than Wales, Canada will visit the Swansea.com Stadium as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host with the USA and Mexico.
Wales recently topped their World Cup qualifying group following a victory in Kazakhstan, but have since dropped to third place due to wins by North Macedonia and Belgium.
With Wales not participating in the next two qualifying matchdays, their upcoming fixtures consist of friendlies against Canada this week and England next month, before resuming their campaign at home against Belgium in October.
Bellamy stated, "I chose them. I wanted the toughest opponents. I know we could get beaten, but what would I gain from facing a lesser team? This match will have a high intensity, allowing us to evaluate our progress and improve. Canada’s higher ranking serves as a motivation for us to perform at our best."
Importance of Friendly Matches
This match marks Wales' first friendly under Bellamy, who has primarily managed Nations League and World Cup qualifying matches. This game presents an opportunity to experiment with player selections, with Bellamy hinting that more players could make their debuts following the impressive performance of Cardiff City’s 19-year-old centre-back Dylan Lawlor in Kazakhstan.
Other uncapped players in the squad include Ronan Kpakio and Joel Colwill from Cardiff City, and Coventry City midfielder Kai Andrews.
Bellamy remarked, "We want to face the best teams. Until now, every match has had significant stakes. This friendly against Canada is a perfect fit for us, and the chance to play England at Wembley is invaluable. I aim for every game to be challenging and intense, as we must develop the right habits to succeed against high-quality teams."
Call for Strong Support
This will be the first time the Welsh men's team has played in Swansea since a goalless friendly against the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the first match in front of a crowd there since a 2013 defeat to Croatia, when Bellamy was still an active player.
Approximately 14,000 tickets have been sold, with the Swansea.com Stadium having a capacity of 21,000. Bellamy emphasized the importance of fan support, stating, "It’s crucial that every match is sold out. If it’s not, I’m not satisfied. Our players deserve that support. We need fans from all over, including Cardiff, to make the trip to Swansea. Full stadiums enhance our players’ performances and reflect the pride of our national team."