Canada-Panama soccer friendly in Vancouver cancelled amid contract dispute

Canada’s men’s soccer team says it refused to play its World Cup warmup match against Panama on Sunday in Vancouver because of a contract dispute with the nation’s governing body.

Players, preparing for the nation’s first men’s World Cup appearance since 1986, also refused to train on Friday and Saturday.

Fans were told additional details would be provided to ticketholders, many of whom were already well on their way to BC Place when the match was cancelled just hours before kick off.

Canada Soccer's Men's National Team international match scheduled for Sunday 5 June at BC Place has been canceled. Additional details will be provided to all ticket purchasers. pic.twitter.com/jUnxTTpZe5

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) June 5, 2022

Players say they want 40 per cent of World Cup prize money, a friends and family travel package, as well as an “equitable structure with our women’s national team that shares the same player match fees, percentage of prize money earned at our respective FIFA World Cups and the development of a women’s domestic league.”

The players say they initiated discussions with Canada Soccer in March. However, they claim the negotiations were “unnecessarily prolonged” by “executives delaying the process and taking vacations.”

“Canada Soccer waited until the evening of July 2 to present an archaic offer and the general secretary and president of the association only made themselves available for the first time to connect with players on June 4 at 4 p.m. For these reasons, we have reluctantly decided not to play our match today against Panama,” the men’s national team said in a statement.

On Sunday, Canada Soccer President Nick Bontis said the organization was “very disappointed” with the players’ decision to not play.

“I am sorry that this game did not occur today,” Bontis said to fans.

A statement by Canada Soccer President, Nick Bontis on the cancellation of today's #CANMNT v Panama match. pic.twitter.com/Udfqrwrv2S

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) June 6, 2022

“Canada Soccer has been working with the players in good faith to find a path forward that is fair and equitable to all,” he continued, adding the organization “would like to have a facts-based discussion within the fiscal reality that Canada Soccer has to live with every day.”

Bontis says Canada Soccer believes it presented “a fair offer” to the players, noting that offer was “benchmarked” against other national teams globally.

“On the issue of gender equity raised in the players’ letter, Canada Soccer’s offer also committed to provide the exact same terms to our women’s national team.”

Canada’s Women’s National Team says it’s been “bargaining in good faith” with the governing body since the end of January, adding the players “have been clear throughout these discussions (and before) that we are seeking an agreement with Canada Soccer that will provide equal pay to members of our team relative to the Men’s National Team.”

A statement from the Canadian Women’s National Team players: pic.twitter.com/JHqkm3iiXr

— CanadianSoccerPlayers (@PlayersCanadian) June 6, 2022

“The Women’s National Team will not accept an agreement that does not offer equal pay,” the statement reads in part.

The women’s team says it is reviewing a proposal that was tabled by Canada Soccer on Friday, though the statement claims the players have not yet received all the information they’ve requested about financials, “including with respect to (Canada Soccer’s) agreement with Canada Soccer Business.”

Despite the ongoing concerns, the women’s team says it sees the latest proposal as a step in the right direction “toward pay equity.”

Canada’s women’s team is ranked sixth in the world and won the gold medal at last year’s Olympics.

“I think the players what we ask for is fair,” midfielder Jonathan Osorio, a regular not on the current roster due to an injury, told The Canadian Press. “We don’t want to be treated any more special than similar teams that we compare ourselves to. We just want to be respected and not taken advantage of and just given our fair share.”

Osorio, 29, said flights and accommodations have improved since former women’s coach John Herdman became men’s coach in January 2018.

“It’s much different than it was before,” Osorio said. “Saying that, there’s a lot that needs to happen from the federation. I think the players need to see more backing from the federation now and not only rely on John to get things done. I think those things will come with results.”

Canadian Soccer Business, which represents a number of assets “core to the new and burgeoning soccer economy in Canada,” is among those left disappointed by Sunday’s cancelled game.

However, Chair Scott Mitchell says in a statement that the CSB “fully supports” players in what is described as “a call for transparency from Canada Soccer.”

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Sportsnet reporter Peter Galindo says Canada Soccer and the players spoke Saturday night and had what he described as “open, transparent conversations (and) the ball was then put into the player’s court.”

He notes the players’ decision to not play came only hours before the game was set to start, adding the next game against Curacao is up in the air.

“If I had to guess, the way that this is going and the amount of issues they’re asking to be resolved. Unless there’s significant progress made we could end up seeing something similar on Thursday, which would just be absolutely crazy,” he explained.

On a local level, Galindo says this was a sad development for a passionate Vancouver fanbase.

“They have supported this national team, both men and women actually, for years, even when the men especially were at their lowest,” said Galindo.

“Not only does it really hurt Vancouver … it’s going to hurt the image of the national team going forward here.”

Panama was a late replacement as Sunday’s opponent, which originally was Iran.

Canada’s governing body of soccer dropped Iran following major criticism, including from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, over Flight PS752. The airliner was shot down by Iran in 2020, killing 176 people, including 138 with links to Canada.

Canada is scheduled to play Curacao at Vancouver on Thursday and is at Honduras on June 13, both in the CONCACAF Nations League. No. 38 Canada opens the World Cup Group F in Qatar against second-ranked Belgium on Nov. 23, plays No. 16 Croatia four days later and No. 24 Morocco on Dec. 1.

With files from Robyn Crawford