By The Canadian Press

Canada coach Jesse Marsch to hold January camp for North American-based players

Dec 22, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Canada coach Jesse Marsch will hold a 10-day January camp in California for North American-based players, ahead of a friendly against Guatemala.

The camp will run Jan. 8-18 in Irvine, Calif., with the game against No. 94 Guatemala on Jan. 17 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

With European-based players tied up with domestic club competition, the camp is for out-of-season North American players.

The Guatemala game will be classified as a Tier 1 international fixture and count toward FIFA men’s world rankings, according to Canada Soccer.

The Canadian men have a score to settle with Guatemala, after exiting the Gold Cup in June in a 6-5 penalty shootout quarterfinal loss in Minneapolis. The game finished knotted at 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Canada reduced to 10 men after winger Jacob Shaffelburg was sent off in first-half stoppage time.

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Tied 5-5 after six rounds of the shootout, teenage Canadian defender Luc de Fougerolles hit the crossbar. Jose Morales stepped up and beat Dayne St. Clair to send Guatemala into the semifinal.

Canada’s all-time record against Guatemala is 10-2-3 (including the recent Gold Cup draw that turned into a loss). The Canadian men’s previous losses to the Central Americans were both in World Cup qualifying play — 2-0 in August 2004 in Burnaby, B.C. and 1-0 in October 1998 in Guatemala City.

With just two FIFA international windows — March 23-31 and June 1-9 — before the World Cup kicks off June 11, the January camp is another chance for Marsch to spend time with at least some of his players.

“This camp provides a valuable opportunity for a group of our North America-based players to come together, spend time within our environment, and continue their development as we prepare for an important year ahead,” Marsch said in a statement. “The match against Guatemala adds an important competitive component and supports players in building and maintaining match fitness ahead of their respective pre-seasons.”

The 27th-ranked Canadian men open the World Cup on June 12 at Toronto’s BMO Field against the winner of a European playoff.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press