Canada will play Brazil twice in June, their first home matches since the World Cup. (Photo: Canada Soccer)
-Canada to host Brazil two times in June
-FC Kansas City lands Domino’s as title sponsor
-Pride officially sign Laura Alleway
-NWSL training camp roster schedule
Canada announced two home friendlies against Brazil today, the first time the team will play on home soil since last summer’s World Cup. The first match will be Saturday, June 4 at BMO Field in Toronto. Three days later, on June 7, the teams will play again at TD Place in Ottawa. Canada did not play in Ottawa during the World Cup and Toronto was not a host city.
“We are really excited to be playing at home again,” captain and all-time leading scorer Christine Sinclair said in a video that Canadian Soccer Association released as part of the announcement. “We’ve always received so much love from Canadian fans and we are just really happy to be able to come home and play in front of a Canadian crown once again.”
Sinclair and her teammates are in Portugal where they will play Brazil in the Algarve Cup final on Wednesday. That plus the friendlies will mark three matches against Brazil ahead of the Rio Olympics in August.
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FC Kansas City announced it has reached a multi-year agreement that makes Domino’s the team’s title sponsor. The internationally known pizza outlet will have their logo on FC Kansas City shirts beginning with the 2016 regular season. The famous logo will also be on all 159 of FC Kansas City’s youth club teams. Domino’s has 26 locations in Kansas City where it is run locally by Dream Team Pizza Inc.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this championship organization,” Domino’s President Jamie S. Poulsen said. “We want to support the soccer community here in Kansas City at every level. We feel like this is a great time to be involved with a growing sport that is family oriented.”
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The Orlando Pride made official Tuesday what had long been known when they signed Australian defender Laura Alleway. The 26-year old Alleway and Pride teammate Steph Catley were part of the defensive unit for Melbourne City FC who recently won the W-League championship in Australia.
“Laura is a player that I have rated highly for many years and very happy to be bringing to the NWSL,” Pride head coach and former Australia manager Tom Sermanni said. “She is a dominant defender who is now firmly established in the Australian national team.
Alleway played all but seven of Australia’s minutes at the World Cup and had an assist in the tournament.
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NWSL preseason begins Monday although teams may begin meetings and physicals on Friday. Clubs will be allowed to take 32 players to camp. Players who have not reported or who leave for international duty or other reasons are not counted against the 32.
There will be two cut down days. Camp rosters must be reduced to 25 players by March 29. Full rosters are due to the league by April 11. The regular season begins on Saturday, April 16. Roster limits will again be 20 players.
Additional rules regarding the new player allocation rules are expected to be announced closer to the beginning of the season.
