Canada will be represented by goalkeeper Lea Palacio and forward Esther Brossard at the first-ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup later this month in the Philippines.
The tournament, featuring 16 teams, will take place from November 21 to December 7 in Pasig City, Metropolitan Manila, with Canada placed in a tough Group B alongside Spain, Thailand, and Colombia.
Spain has claimed victory in all three editions of the UEFA Women’s Futsal Championship, while Thailand was the runner-up at the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup held in May. Meanwhile, Colombia secured third place at the CONMEBOL Championship in March.
Canada, however, made a statement by winning the inaugural CONCACAF W Futsal Championship in a thrilling manner earlier this year in Guatemala.
The Canadian team earned their World Cup spot by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout after reaching the final of the eight-team event in Guatemala City. They subsequently triumphed over Panama with an impressive score of 8-2 in the championship match on May 4.
Both Canada and Panama will represent the CONCACAF region at the World Cup.
“I believe we have made our nation proud by qualifying in such a way,” stated Canada coach Alexandre Da Rocha. “We want to ride that wave again, ensuring that, regardless of the outcomes, people will take pride in the team they see.”
Futsal is an indoor game played with five players per side, consisting of two 20-minute halves. Similar to hockey, teams can substitute players on the fly.
Da Rocha’s roster for the World Cup features 14 players, with 12 returning from the CONCACAF Championship. This list includes Palacio, who was awarded Best Goalkeeper at the CONCACAF Championship, and Brossard, recognized as Best Player after scoring eight goals to lead the tournament.
New additions to the team are defender Katerine Delev and forward Magali Gagne.
The team is scheduled to depart for the Philippines next Tuesday for a pre-tournament training camp. Canada will begin the competition against Colombia on November 22, followed by matches against Thailand on November 25 and Spain on November 28.
Since qualifying, the Canadians have had limited training time, with only brief camps held in August and October. They will play friendly matches against Poland, the Philippines, and Argentina to prepare.
Group A consists of the host nation Philippines, Poland, Morocco, and Argentina, while Group C includes Portugal, Tanzania, Japan, and New Zealand. Group D features Brazil, Iran, Italy, and Panama.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.
Female futsal athletes have long advocated for a FIFA championship. In 2022, the International Women’s Futsal Players Association criticized FIFA for its “public neglect towards women futsal players.”
The inaugural Futsal Men’s World Cup was held by FIFA in 1989, with the upcoming 2024 edition featuring 24 teams. Brazil, the defending champion, has won six out of the ten tournaments to date, finishing as runner-up once and securing third place twice.
Canada has not participated in the men’s tournament since being one of the 16 invited nations to the first edition, where they did not advance past the initial round after losses to Argentina and Belgium, followed by a win against Japan.
The 1989 futsal team included notable players such as Paul Dolan, Pat Harrington, Nick De Santis, Eddy Berdusco, Lyndon Hooper, and Alex Bunbury. Dolan was also part of Canada’s squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
Canada has participated in four out of the eight editions of the CONCACAF Men’s Futsal Championship, with their best performance reaching the quarterfinals in both 2021 and 2024.
Canadian roster
Goalkeepers: Lea Palacio, Montreal, FC Grenadieres; Jadyn Steinhauer, Saskatoon, SK Impact FC.
Fixos (defenders): Katerine Delev, Gatineau, Que., Gotham City; Maude Lagace, Laval, Que., Xtreme FCL; Sophie Therien, Montreal, Xtreme FCL.
Alas (wingers): Stephie-Ann Dadaille, Laval, Que., Atletico Montreal; Shayla He, Montreal, FC Underdogs; Erica Hindmarsh, Saskatoon, SK Impact FC; Jade Houmphanh, Saskatoon, SK Impact FC; Erika Pion, Repentigny, Que., Atletico Montreal.
Pivos (forwards): Esther Brossard, Montreal, Lehigh University; Cynthia Gaspar-Freire, Quebec City, Xtreme FCL; Magali Gagne, Montreal, UDFC; Joelle Gosselin, Quebec City, Xtreme FCL.