Published by Canadian Soccer Daily
Hosted by Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic, the Northern Fútbol Podcast analyzes the Canadian national teams, Canadian players abroad, MLS, CPL, NSL and everything Canadian soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Listen on Apple Podcasts28 min
It's already been a big summer in the transfer market for Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and CF Montréal, but more is expected in the summer window as the three Canadian teams look to take steps forward in the hunt for the MLS Cup Playoffs and, for the Whitecaps, even bigger goals. While the efforts to build out the rosters stand out, so too does the push to find form after the World Cup break, as none of the Canadian teams have been able to secure a full three-point victory in the games since Spain lifted the trophy. Ahead of this weekend's action, Ben, Alex and Dunlop break down where each team stands, and their hopes of a result this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 min
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has tabled a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in exchange for big private equity cash, which would instantly go to federations around the world. The controversial proposal, incited strong reactions from UEFA, who wholeheartedly oppose the proposal and are ready to boycott FIFA events. Alex, Ben and Brendan dive into the fallout of this news, and what it means for the future of FIFA, Infantino and the World Cup. Plus, Canada’s U20s are battling to qualify for the U20 World Cup at the U20 Concacaf Championship, where they’ve opened with a win and a draw. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 min
What’s next for the CanMNT now that the World Cup is over? The good news for fans of this men’s National Team is that they won’t have to wait long to see them back in action on Canadian soil, as it was announced this week that they’d play Chile and Peru in a pair of friendlies in Toronto and Montréal this fall. In this episode of NFP, Ben, Brendan and Alex look at what Canada should look to get out of those friendlies, before looking at the big tournament that Canada’s head coach, Jesse Marsch, will be focusing on before then - the U20 Concacaf Championships, which kick off in Mexico this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
While the 2026 World Cup is now over, that won’t take away from some of the memories this summer gave all of us. To help remember the tournament that was, Ben, Brendan and Alex look back at some of their best moments from this World Cup in this episode of NFP, including their favourite games and other funny memories, before reflecting on a chaotic final in New Jersey, one where Brendan got a front-row seat to Spain’s clash with Argentina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 min
The Canadian men’s national team fell out of the 2026 World Cup on Saturday, but the past month provided some remarkable moments for the sport from coast-to-coast-to-coast. On Part 2 of our post-match show from the 3-0 loss to Morocco, Ben Steiner, Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic and Brendan Dunlop dive into which players could still play a key role in four years time, and dive deep into whether this summer was a success + their favourite moments from the run. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min
CanMNT’s 2026 World Cup journey is over, as they fell 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16. Despite the scoreline, it was far from a dominant performance by Morocco, as Canada pushed to the edge in the first half, but were unable to turn a dominant start into a positive result. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangué-Ruzic dissect the defeat, what went wrong and what almost went right, the errors made, and how Canada could've influenced the game with their substitutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min
Canada is in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup and faces an immense challenge as they take on Morocco in Houston. It won't be an easy task for Canada to get past the Atlas Lions, but it's not impossible. Ben Steiner, live from Houston, and Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic break down everything there is to the matchup, how Jesse Marsch may adapt, what penalties could look like, and plenty more before offering their predictions. To end the show, Brendan Dunlop catches up with play-by-play broadcaster Jon Champion about the tournament as a whole and offers an international perspective on Canadian soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
42 min
The CanMNT have made the most of their knockout round debut at a men’s World Cup, as they defeated South Africa 1-0 in their Round of 32 clash after a dramatic late winner from Stephen Eustáquio. On a day when they weren’t at their best, Eustáquio made sure that they’d still get over the line on the day, rewarding them for all of the hard work they put in with a special goal. And, in other good news, Alphonso Davies made his return from injury, with this win buying him more time to play an even bigger role in the Round of 16. Ben, Brendan and Alex dive into a historic game for Canadian soccer, one that will stand out among great historic Canadian sporting moments - and there could still be more big moments to come, with their tournament not over yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
After a successful group stage, the CanMNT's 2026 World Cup journey shifts from Canada to Los Angeles to take on South Africa. Expected to win on paper, this will be a fascinating test for Canada, one where they have a chance to make a massive statement, with most of the country watching Can CanMNT pick up a victory that will forever live on in contrast to the usual frustration and heartbreak? Ben, Brendan and Alex help preview this South Africa match, put into context what this game means and where they think this game could be won or lost for Canada. Against a South African side that is expected to be stingy without the ball, it won’t be an easy match. Canada will need to take the lessons learned from similar matchups as they chase a knockout victory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 min
The Canadian men’s national team won’t get the chance to stay at home for the World Cup knockout stage, but will play the biggest game in CanMNT history despite falling 2-1 to Switzerland on Wednesday in Vancouver. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic break down Canada’s Group B 2nd place-sealing loss, how it could impact their pathway, the CanMNT's selections and the brewing drama around Jesse Marsch and Alphonso Davies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 min
It’s all come down to CanMNT v Switzerland in their final Group B match. There, the stakes are simple: if Canada wins or draws, they’ll top the group and stay in Vancouver for the Round of 32. If Canada lose, they’ll likely finish 2nd, unless Bosnia have the game of their lives, and head to LA for the Rd of 32. Brendan, Ben and Alex dive into everything you NEED to know about Canada vs. Switzerland, from potential lineup choices, to what Canada needs to do to stay solid at the back, and help scout potential areas of Swiss weakness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 min
It was the game that fans of the CanMNT had long dreamed about, as Canada picked up their first-ever World Cup win, doing so in STYLE in a thumping 6-0 win over Qatar in Vancouver. Jonathan David finally had his statement World Cup performance with an impressive hat trick, Cyle Larin had a big goal to stay in red-hot form, and Nathan Saliba announced his breakout to the world. Unfortunately for Canada, however, not all went well, as Ismaël Koné was stretchered off with a horrific leg break, one that will prematurely end his tournament and keep him out of action for several months. Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangué-Ruzic dive into all of the KEY storylines and Ben Steiner checks in with an update from BC Place, in a very special post-game episode of NFP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 min
After a solid start to the 2026 World Cup for the CanMNT, who drew Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-1 in Toronto, their focus shifts towards the second game of the tournament, where they’ll take on Qatar in a massive matchup in Vancouver. With all teams in Group B tied on one point, Canada heads into this game needing a win, knowing that such a result will all but secure their spot in the knockout rounds of this tournament and put them in the driver’s seat when it comes to potentially even winning their group. In this episode, Alex, Ben and Brendan share what they’ve seen from the World Cup so far, before diving into everything you need to know about this matchup against Qatar, including why it’s such a big one for Canada, their projected lineup, predictions and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
35 min
For the first time ever, the CanMNT have picked up a World Cup point, drawing Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-1 in their 2026 tournament opener at Toronto Stadium. Bosnia were dangerous on set-pieces, and punished Canada early. But Jesse Marsch's CanMNT responded well, eventually finding an equalizer through Cyle Larin, who picked a perfect time to bust a near two-year goal drought with Canada. Ben, Brendan and Alex dive into all of the key storylines from the match, as they break down how Marsch changed the game with aggressive substitutions, Canada’s excellence from open play, what went wrong on the set pieces, and what this point means for Canada heading west to Vancouver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 min
Canada heads into Group B action at the 2026 World Cup this week, starting with a Friday match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. What are the expectations for this Canadian team back at the tournament? How will they be followed by the more casual Canadian public, and what do they need to do to deem it a successful World Cup? Ben Steiner, Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic, and Brendan Dunlop wrap up the show by sharing their Canada World Cup predictions and who they think will lead Canada in goalscoring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
33 min
Part 1 of 2 of this week's Northern Futbol dives into Canada's outlook heading into the 2026 World Cup on home soil, after playing to a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan and a 1-1 draw with Ireland in the tune-up friendlies. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic dive into the injuries facing the squad and whether they are a major concern, as well as the biggest takeaways from the final lead-up matches before the big dance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 min
Led by Jesse Marsch, Canada Soccer unveiled its 26-man World Cup roster on Friday night, picking the group that will look to shock the world at a home World Cup. On this episode of Northern Fútbol, Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangué-Ruzic break down their thoughts on the squad, how it was revealed, and their hopes heading into the pre-tournament friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland before the June 12 World Cup opener in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 min
Gerry Dobson saw the worst moments for Canada's men's national team — and just as it started to get good, he retired. 10 years after he signed off the airwaves that brought him across CONCACAF with Canada's dismal men's program at the time, he couldn't be happier to see where the team has gotten, even if there's a small part of him that wishes he could have been a part of it. In a one-on-one with Ben Steiner, he dives into some of the stories from the dark days and his experiences calling Canadian games, Canadian soccer and Canada's first live exposure to the Premier League over the course of three decades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 min
It was a successful end to the 2025-2026 season for several CanMNT players, and none more than Liam Millar, who helped Hull City return to the Premier League after a dramatic promotion final win vs. Middlesbrough. After a long journey to this stage, it’s a huge moment for Millar, who will look to carry that good feeling into what he hopes is a good World Cup for Canada, before hopefully lacing up his boots in the EPL this fall. Alex, Ben and Brendan dive into all other happenings related to Canadians playing abroad, including the upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup final, which will feature CanMNT winger Marcelo Flores, who is hoping to help Tigres UNAL to a big win vs. Toluca, before closing out the show with some talk about the Canadian MLS teams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
43 min
It’s all starting to become real for the CanMNT, who have officially kicked off their World Cup preparation in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they’ve gathered for their pre-tournament training camp. Unfortunately, due to injuries and other club commitments, not everyone has made it to Charlotte, including Canadian captain Alphonso Davies, but otherwise, most of the 32 players who were called up to this camp are there. Now, the challenge for head coach Jesse Marsch is to whittle that group of 32 down to 26 players, which will be easier said than done. Speaking of Marsch, though, he’s already had a busy week, as he announced that he’ll stay on as CanMNT head coach through the 2030 World Cup, in what is a big coup for the Canadian program. Alex, Ben and Brendan dive into everything you need to know about that squad, as well as about Marsch’s contract extension, before finishing with a chat about the favourites to win this World Cup, in this episode of the Northern Futbol Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.