Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the international friendly match.
This fixture represents a key stage in Canada’s preparation for both the CONCACAF Gold Cup and, more significantly, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted on home soil. Canada are highly motivated to build momentum ahead of a critical stretch of tournaments. For Côte d'Ivoire, this friendly is simply a stopgap during their ongoing World Cup qualifying campaign, indicating a likely use of squad rotation and a more measured approach to player workload.
Canada
Canada are in strong form, having won four of their last five matches. Standout results include a 4:2 victory over Ukraine and a 2:1 win against the USA. Jonathan David has been particularly effective, scoring twice against Ukraine and recording four goals across his last five appearances. However, the Canadians have shown some defensive vulnerabilities, conceding five goals over their last three games.
Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire remain unbeaten in their six World Cup qualifying matches, with an aggregate goal difference of 14:0. That said, they looked flat in a recent friendly against New Zealand, where they fell to a 0:1 defeat. Their focus is clearly on competitive fixtures, and the Ivorians are unlikely to field their strongest line-up for this match in Canada. Moreover, the absence of players like Jean Michael Seri and Christian Kouamé, combined with ongoing squad experimentation, may affect their performance.
Canada vs Côte d'Ivoire Prediction
Canada come into this fixture in better form, benefit from the home advantage, and appear to be in excellent shape physically and tactically. Côte d'Ivoire are likely to make changes to their line-up. A defeat for the hosts appears unlikely, and the match should feature at least two goals.
