Northern Fútbol Podcast

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 potent...

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 ou...

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...

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...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Ca...

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 upc...

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...

Before the club game pauses with the World Cup starting in less than a month, certain leagues are heating up over the next few weeks, as most European circuits wind down, while leagues like Major League Soccer are about to hit their halfway point. Speaking of MLS, however, this break could come at a great time for Canada’s MLS sides, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and CF Montréal, who are dealing with injuries, dipping form and more. Can the Whitecaps enter the break still in first place in MLS? Will Toronto FC be able to stop a len...

With the start of the 2026 World Cup now less than a month away, the next few weeks promise to be a sprint to the start line for the 48 teams participating, especially for the co-hosts, the CanMNT, who are getting set for their first match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 12th. As Canada gets set to start their pre-World Cup camp in Charlotte in the coming days, Alex and Ben dive into the state of the Canadian squad, with Jesse Marsch set to officially name his 26-player squad for this summer on May 29th. 

Who will make t...

Alphonso Davies’s injury troubles have continued, as the CanMNT captain picked up another muscle problem while playing for Bayern Munich, one that is serious enough to put his World Cup participation with Canada in doubt. Now, he faces a race against the clock to return to full fitness, and even if that goes well, it’s hard to imagine him being at his best this summer, which could affect the CanMNT’s plans. 

In better news, however, some other Canadians are thriving abroad, including Jacob Shaffelburg, Liam Millar and Cyle Larin - in particular, there will be...

This week is shaping up to be a big one for the Vancouver Whitecaps, as some key leaders and stakeholders are set to meet in Vancouver on Wednesday, with the club’s future very much the main topic of discussion. Can this be what the club needs to officially secure their long-term future in Vancouver? 

Meanwhile, the preliminary round of the Canadian Championship rolled on, and after Toronto FC was upset by Atlético Ottawa last week, the cupsets continued into the weekend, with CS Saint-Laurent channelling the magic of their 2024 run in an i...

DESCRIPTION: Months ago, we clamoured for more Canadians to head to the English Championship. Now that many have, three are in contention to move up to the Premier League through the playoffs, while others also enjoyed standout campaigns. We dive into Canadians in Europe, as well as the feisty goalkeeper battle between Dayne St. Clair and Max Crépeau in MLS.  

The boys then offer their Coolbet picks for the weekend of MLS action.

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The Vancouver Whitecaps are hanging on to a bit of hope after Sporting Director and CEO Axel Schuster spoke to the media on Wednesday, offering some insight as to where the club is at in the hunt to avoid relocation to Las Vegas or Phoenix. While Vancouver’s future remains unclear, Toronto FC’s present is less than ideal, crashing out of the Canadian Championship to Atletico Ottawa in the latest embarrassing chapter for TFC. 

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The 2026 World Cup is mere weeks away and Cyle Larin is in the form of his life with Southampton, scoring a stunning goal in a critical draw with Ipswich, all while Alphonso Davies started in a chaotic UEFA Champions League clash between Bayern Munich and PSG. 

With so many Canadians thriving abroad and the Whitecaps, TFC and CF Montréal all showing some life in MLS action, it’s a solid time to be a Canadian soccer fan — as long as you’re not a Whitecaps fan thinking too far into the future. 

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The Vancouver Whitecaps are facing more serious threats of relocation, and local support has been overwhelming in the last week in an effort to find a solution in Vancouver. What could keep the 52-year-old club in Vancouver, and what role does government have in the solution? Brendan Dunlop, Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic and Ben Steiner break down the situation facing Canada’s oldest professional soccer team. 

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Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic and Brendan Dunlop take a look at the latest out of the Canadian MLS teams, as the Vancouver Whitecaps are cruising to historic numbers, Toronto FC is becoming one of the most chaotic and entertaining teams in MLS (and are scoring goalkeeper goals!), while CF Montréal is looking to recover from a slow start after firing head coach Marco Donadel. 

Meanwhile, the Northern Super League is back for its second season, as they look to follow up a successful first act with a solid second campaign, while the Canadian Premier League is a fe...

Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic and Brendan Dunlop are back for another episode of the Northern Fútbol podcast, as they dive into the latest out of the CanMNT and CanWNT. 

Massive week for the CanMNT as some of Canada’s best are catching form at the right time. Anytime Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David score and are named POTM on the same matchday, that’s pretty good news for Canadian fans. And it doesn’t hurt that Cyle Larin is on fire in the Championship, too… plus, some key players are getting healthy ahead of the World...

It's Part 2 of this week's episode of Northern Fútbol, as Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangue-Ruzic return to break down the biggest storylines in Canadian soccer, focusing on the impressive form of some Canadians in Europe, while also taking a look at how the World Cup group stage may unfold for Canada. In that, what does success mean for the CanMNT this summer?

Catch more Canadian soccer coverage by checking out Canadian Soccer Daily on all platforms.

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Ben, Alex and Dunlop are back on NFP this week to break down the latest in Canadian soccer, with a focus on how things are shaping up with the two-month mark now in the rear view. Stay tuned for Part 2!

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Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic are back on the Northern Fútbol Podcast the day after Canada fought back from a 2-0 deficit against Iceland to find a 2-2 draw. The boys break down the attacking issues Canada still faces, as well as the struggles from the back line and notably the Canadian centre backs. After breaking down the Iceland match, they dive into some Concacaf results, World Cup kits and preview the CanMNT matchup against Tunisia. The show wraps up with a check in on John Herdman’s managerial debut with Indonesia.

Follow everything rela...

The 2026 World Cup is just over 80 days away, and we caught our first glimpse of Canada's World Cup kits this week, with a new red and black look for the summer. This week on the show, Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic break down the new kits and also take a deep dive into the Canada men's national team roster for March friendlies against Tunisia and Iceland in Toronto.

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It was an outstanding week for all Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and CF Montreal, who all picked up wins in MLS action.

Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic break down everything inside MLS, as well as how many players on Canadian teams could crack the USMNT for the World Cup.

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The punches keep coming for the Canadian men’s national team, as Alphonso Davies picks up another injury, alongside Luc De Fougerolles and several others, less than 100 days away from kicking off the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

On this episode of Northern Fútbol with Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic, we break down our worry levels about Davies and the CanMNT’s injury picture, dive into the goalkeeping battle, and wrap up with a look at where things stand with the Canadian women’s national team coming out of the She Believes Cup. 

Catc...

After a tough end to 2025, the CanWNT have returned to winning ways to begin 2026, opening their SheBelieves Cup tournament with an impressive 4-1 win over Colombia. Unfortunately, they were unable to build on that in their second match, as they then fell 1-0 to their rivals, the USWNT, but they’ll be pleased with their performance in that game, which was much improved from the last time they faced the US, which came in a 3-0 loss last July. 

Meanwhile, Josh Sargent is now officially a Toronto FC player, and he had his introductory press conference thi...

Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic are back for Part 2 of this week's pod, shifting their focus to the start of the 2026 MLS season for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC, and CF Montréal. They look at a slow but productive start for Vancouver on and off the pitch, as well as how Toronto could shift moving forward with Josh Sargent. On Montréal, they discuss whether the 5-0 loss to San Diego FC is indicative of the true state of the team.

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Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic hold down the fort on the first part of this week's Northern Fútbol Podcast and they start with the concerning news for the men's and women's national teams. On the men's side, it's injuries to Alphonso Davies and Promise David, while the women's side heads into the SBC without Olivia Smith, who sustained a concussion and had to pull out of yet another Canadian women's national team camp.

Part 2 comes out soon, with a full breakdown of Canada's MLS teams and the opening weekend of the 31st MLS season.

In Part 2 of this week's episode, Alex and Brendan look at Canada's three Major League Soccer clubs ahead of the 2026 MLS regular season. The Whitecaps are the cream of the crop, but can they match last season's heights? Will Toronto FC find a striker to score goals AND satisfy the fanbase? Are you paying attention to CF Montreal?

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In part 1 of this week's episode, Alex and Brendan dive into the big news in Canadian Soccer, as Canada Soccer and the CSME (formerly known as CSB) reached an agreement on a new deal between both parties. They look at what that means for the sport in this country, and why this is such important news heading into the World Cup, especially after how the last few years have gone. After that, they finish with some chat about the CanWNT, who revealed their first roster of 2026, which included some interesting surprises.

Stay tuned for part 2, which...

Ben and Alex are back for Part 2 of this week's episode of Northern Fútbol, breaking down the latest when it comes to the club game in Canadian soccer. They dive into CPL teams showing well, but losing in the Concacaf Champions Cup, before spending a little too much time ranting and reviewing the new 2026 MLS kits. To wrap the show, they dive into the best Canadians in Europe on the men's and women's sides.

If you missed Part 1, which focused on the men's national team, please find that in your podcast feed of choice.

Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic return for a two-part show this week, with the opening part focusing on the Canadian men's national team picture. The first topic zones in on Marcelo Flores's commitment to the team and what the future could hold for him, before they dive into the friendly against Ireland and Canada's determined preparation pathway for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Part 1 wraps up with a breakdown of the Canadian U17 boys' national team, which will not participate in the upcoming World Cup tournament.

Part two to come at 12:01 am ET on Friday.

Could the winter transfer window have been crazier for Canadian men's players across Europe and MLS? Who knows, it might now even be over! On Part 2 of February 4th's episode, Ben Steiner, Alex Gangué-Ruzic and Brendan Dunlop dive into the windfall of moves, most recently headlined by Cyle Larin's journey to Southampton and Stephen Eustáquio's European farewell to LAFC.

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This week's episode is split into two parts and Part 1 dives into the situation between Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place and the potential of relocation, as well as how a changing landscape towards mega-events like the World Cup and Olympic Games will change the future for Canadian soccer and sport in general. Afterwards, we dive into a promising Concacaf Champions Cup opener for Forge FC against Marcelo Flores' Tigres UANL, as well as Jonathan David's success abroad with Juventus.

You can catch the second part of the show with Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué...

It was a landmark campaign for Canadians in the UEFA Champions League, headlined by the performances of Promise David, Tani Oluwaseyi and Jonathan David, who all scored multiple goals for their clubs along the way. Unfortunately, not all of them will advance to the knockout stage - that honour is reserved for Jonathan David (Juventus) and Canada captain Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - but that doesn’t mean it’s not a campaign worth celebrating for all involved.

Meanwhile, in North America, soccer fans are getting set for the start of the Concacaf Champions Cup, which...

It’s all happening for Canadians playing in Europe - for better and for worse. To start with the good, Ali Ahmed can’t seem to set a foot wrong for Norwich City, and that’s great news for him and his ambitions of starting World Cup games for Canada this summer. 

Unfortunately, though, the same can’t be said for Cyle Larin, who looks set to leave Feyenoord after a quiet loan spell in the Netherlands. Safe to say, given how the last year has gone for him, this next move is going to be a big one...

The Canadian men's national team started 2026 with a win over Guatemala in a Tier 2 friendly, with several players improving their standing for the March camp and potential 2026 World Cup squad, while others looked to be potential options for the 2030 World Cup. After breaking down the match, Brendan Dunlop, Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic and Ben Steiner break down the CanMNT's upcoming friendlies, the CanWNT's 2026 scheduled and happenings with Canadian players at the club level.

The boys also debate which celebrity Canada Soccer crossover is a must-see for the 2026 World Cup as well.

1:30 - CanMNT WIN vs...

The Canadian men's national team is in Los Angeles for the first camp of 2026, but Marcelo Flores skipped out after scoring a brace for Tigres in Liga MX action, potentially re-opening the door for him to join Mexico. After breaking down his news, Ben, Alex and Brendan jump into a preview of Canada vs. Guatemala, as well as an update on Canadian injuries and the transfer seasons for Canadian players in MLS and NWSL.

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The Northern Fútbol Podcast returns for 2026! It’s the World Cup year in Canada, and Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic break down a busy winter so far for Canadian men's national team players.

The show starts with a reaction to Jesse Marsch’s January camp roster, before diving into the busy transfer season of Canadian MLS players so far. Afterwards, they dive into Jonathan David’s struggles in his first half-season at Juventus and what it could mean for the CanMNT.

Catch more NFP over on the Canadian Soccer Daily Yo...