Canada to Strengthen Ties with Venezuela at Florida Conference 2025

According to Canada Soccer Daily, the Canadian men’s national team will end its year with a friendly match against Venezuela on Tuesday, November 18, at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. This matchup brings back memories of the 2024 Copa América quarterfinal, where Jesse Marsch’s team defeated La Vinotinto in a penalty shootout, marking a significant moment for Canadian soccer.

Marsch stated, “The quarterfinal win over Venezuela at the 2024 Copa América was a landmark moment for our program. Venezuela is a tough opponent and will be ready for the rematch. This friendly gives us another chance to assess our capabilities against a World Cup-level team,” in a release by Canada Soccer.

For Venezuela, this match follows a challenging qualifying campaign. Under coach Fernando Batista, the team earned 18 points in 17 matches but missed out on the intercontinental playoff after a 6-3 defeat to Colombia on the last day, allowing Bolivia to secure seventh place. Despite facing criticism for their performance, they rely on experienced players like Salomón Rondón, Tomás Rincón, and Rafael Romo, along with Yeferson Soteldo.

For Canada, the game against Venezuela rounds off a busy fall schedule. In October, they will host Australia in Montréal, followed by a match against Colombia in New Jersey. Then, on November 13, just five days before facing Venezuela, Canada will welcome Ecuador to BMO Field in Toronto, where tickets are already on sale with high demand expected.