After a drama-filled week away from the field, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 soccer team will finally play in front of hometown fans tonight.

The 38th-ranked Canadians are kicking off CONCACAF Nations League play against No. 79 Cura莽ao at B.C. Place.

Canada was scheduled to have play warm-up game against Panama in Vancouver on Sunday but the friendly match was called off at the last minute when players refused to take the field due to heated contract talks with Canada Soccer, the sportB次元官网网址檚 national governing body.

The players issued a statement saying they want more transparency from the organization, an equitable compensation structure for both the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 national teams, and World Cup compensation that includes 40 per cent of prize money and a B次元官网网址渃omprehensive friends and family packageB次元官网网址� for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Canada Soccer has yet to reach a new deal with the athletes, but players returned to training on Monday, and yesterday, the organizationB次元官网网址檚 interim general secretary, Earl Cochrane, said negotiations have been positive.

Canadian captain Atiba Hutchinson says missing a game and valuable training time is a setback as the country prepares for its first World Cup in 36 years.

B次元官网网址淓very session is important for us. Obviously the coach wants us on the pitch and working on every little detail,B次元官网网址� the midfielder said yesterday.

B次元官网网址淪o thereB次元官网网址檚 setbacks, but weB次元官网网址檝e had a couple of training sessions to prepare for this game and thatB次元官网网址檚 our mindset right now, to just do the best that we can. And from here on out, everythingB次元官网网址檚 going to be important going forward.B次元官网网址�

Cura莽ao opened its Nations League campaign Monday with a surprising 2-1 win over Honduras.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 head coach John Herdman says the Caribbean nation isnB次元官网网址檛 a team his squad can afford to underestimate.

B次元官网网址淭his is going to be a tough match, a really tough game against this team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f theyB次元官网网址檙e not ready, a lot hard work starts slipping away, that dominance that we want to keep stepping forward with, it starts to slip away and questions get asked.B次元官网网址�

Canada has not played on home soil since they clinched a World Cup berth with a win over Jamaica in Toronto on March 27.

The Canadians topped the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with an 8-2-4 record B次元官网网址� and went 14-2-4 through three rounds of qualifying. Their last game was a 1-0 loss in Panama on March 30.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a long time since Canada played at B.C. Place. They beat French Guiana there in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying back in March 2019.

Playing in front of Canadian fans again is important for the team leading up to the World Cup, Hutchinson said.

B次元官网网址淎lthough things are not done, are not settled, we just thought of the bigger picture,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e feel like things will get taken care of, weB次元官网网址檒l get back on the pitch and do what we have to do.B次元官网网址�

Canada continues its Nations League journey at No. 82 Honduras on June 13.

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press