Canada Soccer says its World Cup-bound menB次元官网网址檚 team has returned to practice after refusing to play an exhibition match against Panama because of strained labor negotiations.

The nationB次元官网网址檚 governing body The team returned to practice in the afternoon and future meetings were scheduled.

Canada is set to play Curacao at VancouverB次元官网网址檚 BC Place on Thursday in the CONCACAF National League. The federation did not note the upcoming game in its announcement.

The players said in a brief statement on Monday: B次元官网网址淲e move forward in hopes that Canada Soccer will work with us to resolve the situation.B次元官网网址�

The match against Panama was called off just about two hours before kickoff when players refused to take the field. The players, preparing for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first World Cup appearance since 1986, didnB次元官网网址檛 practice on Friday or Saturday.

The team issued a statement on Sunday outlining its contract demands, including 40% of World Cup prize money, a travel package for friends and relatives and an B次元官网网址渆quitable structure with our womenB次元官网网址檚 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 womenB次元官网网址檚 domestic league.B次元官网网址�

The players also want transparency with Canadian Soccer Business, which signed an agreement with the federation in 2018 to oversee media rights, sponsorship deals and other commercial assets.

B次元官网网址淲e want to work together with our organization, but the relationship has been strained for years,B次元官网网址� players said in a statement. B次元官网网址淎nd now, Canada Soccer has disrespected our team and jeopardized our efforts to raise the standards and effectively advance the game in Canada.B次元官网网址�

The move comes less than a month after the .

Nick Bontis, president of Canada Soccer, called the playersB次元官网网址� demands untenable. The federation had offered its proposal to the teams on Friday.

B次元官网网址淐anada Soccer has been working with the players in good faith to find a path forward thatB次元官网网址檚 fair and equitable to all. We would like to have a facts-based discussion within the fiscal reality that Canada Soccer has to live with every day,B次元官网网址� Bontis said. B次元官网网址淐anada Soccer is committed to the principles of fairness and equity and we believe we presented a fair offer to the players. We benchmarked our offer against other national teams from around the world. On the issue of gender equity, raised in the playersB次元官网网址� letter, Canada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 offer also committed to provide the exact same terms to our womenB次元官网网址檚 national team.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian women are ranked sixth in the world and won the Olympic gold medal last year. The womenB次元官网网址檚 side weighed in on the dispute Sunday, saying its negotiations with the federation have been ongoing since January.

. But the women said they considered the federationB次元官网网址檚 proposal last week as a step in the process.

B次元官网网址淭he WomenB次元官网网址檚 National Team will not accept an agreement that does not offer equal pay,B次元官网网址� the players said.

Panama was a late replacement as an opponent for the menB次元官网网址檚 team after Canada Soccer canceled a match against Iran following criticism by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Canada is also scheduled to visit Honduras on June 13 in CONCACAF Nations League play. Ranked No. 38 by FIFA, Canada opens the World Cup in Qatar against second-ranked Belgium on Nov. 23, plays No. 16 Croatia four days later and then faces No. 24 Morocco on Dec. 1.

B次元官网网址擜nne M. Peterson, The Associated Press