Players from Sporting Montreal FC and 9 de Octubre FC Toronto, the two finalists at last year's Canadian futsal club championship, dominate the 14-man Canadian roster called up for the 2024 CONCACAF Futsal Championship.
Sporting Montreal has seven players on the Canadian roster with another two coming from 9 de Octubre FC Toronto, which won 5-3 when the two sides met in Calgary on April 2023.
The 12-team CONCACAF Championship runs April 13-20 at Polideportivo Alexis Arguello in Managua, Nicaragua,
The top four teams at the end of the tournament will represent CONCACAF at the FIFA Futsal World Cup, which is scheduled to run Sept.20 to Oct. 6 in Uzbekistan.
Canada opens Group B play on April 13 against Cuba before facing Panama on April 14 and Nicaragua on April 15. After round-robin play, the three group winners, three runners-up and two best third-place finishers advance to the knockout stage.
CONCACAF last held its futsal championship in 2021 when Canada lost a penalty shootout 4-3 to Panama in the quarterfinals after the game finished knotted at 1-1.
Daniel Chamale and Raheem Rose, the Canadian championship MVP, come from 9 de Octubre FC Toronto. Sporting Montreal contributes Montacer El Harchal, Aylan Khenoussi, Safwane Mlah, Samir Morsli-Mahiddine, Abdel Nboucha, Yassine Saad and Obeng Tabi.
The Canadian roster ranges in age from 20-year-old Mahdi Djellab to 36-year-old goalkeeper John Smits.
"This is a team that is striving for success and will use this as an opportunity to showcase their talents on one of the biggest stages in the sport,” Canada coach Kyt Selaidopoulos said in a statement.
Costa Rica is the three-time defending CONCACAF champion, defeating the U.S. 3-2 in the 2021 final.
The Canadians are making their fourth appearance at the CONCACAF championship, having also competed in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
Canada has not qualified for the FIFA Futsal World Cup since the inaugural competition in 1989 when it failed to advance after going 1-2-0 in the group stage.
Portugal is the reigning FIFA Futsal champion. Brazil has won the title five times and Spain twice. Argentina won in 2016 and was runner-up in 2021.
Argentina, Brazil, France, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine and Venezuela have already qualified for the 24-team FIFA Futsal World Cup, joining host Uzbekistan.
Futsal is a five-a-side indoor game played in two 20-minute halves. Like hockey, teams can make changes on the fly.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: John Smits, Serbian White Eagles; Callum Weir, Whitehorse Yukon Selects FC.
Defenders: Daniel Chamale, 9 de Octubre FC Toronto; Sebastian Lopez, Toronto Idolo; Abdel Nboucha, Sporting Montreal FC; Obeng Tabi, Sporting Montreal FC
Wingers/Midfielders/Forwards: Mahdi Djellab, Albi Sve Montreal; Montacer El Harchali, Sporting Montreal FC; Aylan Khenoussi, Sporting Montreal FC; Loïc Kwemi, Evolution Futsal Club Montreal; Safwane Mlah, Sporting Montreal FC; Samir Morsli-Mahiddine, Sporting Montreal FC; Raheem Rose, 9 de Octubre FC Toronto; Yassine Saad, Sporting Montreal FC.
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5 2024.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press