Guatemala and Canada Announce Squads for Saturday’s Los Angeles Friendly
Guatemala and Canada are set to face each other in a friendly match on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. This game will kick off at 7 p.m. and serves as an important start for the Guatemalan national team under the guidance of coach Luis Fernando Tena.
Guatemalan Team Overview
Under Tena’s leadership, Guatemala aims to improve after narrowly missing qualification for the 2026 World Cup. They finished third in their group, just shy of advancing. Tena has called up 22 players for this match, despite several absences due to the non-FIFA date.
Key Players for Guatemala
- Nicolás Samayoa
- Óscar Santis
- Rudy Muñoz
- Jonathan Franco
- José Pinto
- José Morales
- Óscar Castellanos
- Darwin Lom
- Debutants: Héctor Prillwitz, Marvin Ávila Jr., Widvin Tebalán
Canadian Team Insights
Canada, preparing for the 2026 World Cup as one of the host nations, also faces absences in its lineup. Notably, Jonathan Osorio from Toronto FC will play, while Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC) is sidelined with an injury. Marcelo Flores, previously representing Mexico, has not yet finalized his switch to the Canadian national team.
Highlights from the Canadian Camp
Coach Jesse Marsch spoke about Flores’ situation, indicating that a FIFA application is required for him to switch teams. Marsch had hoped to include Flores for this match but faced a setback due to FIFA regulations.
Recent Encounters
Historically, Canada and Guatemala have faced each other several times. Most notably, Guatemala eliminated Canada in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Gold Cup via a penalty shootout. In earlier encounters, Canada won a friendly in 2015 and dominated during a preparation match in 2009 with a 3-0 scoreline.
Looking Ahead
Canada is placed in Group B for the upcoming World Cup, opening their campaign on June 12 against a European playoff winner, potentially Italy. Their group matches will continue against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24.
This friendly match against Guatemala will be a key opportunity for both teams as they prepare for future competitions on the international stage.
