The Canadian women's national team begins its quest for a first Women's World Cup on Thursday night.
The team's first matchup in Group B of the 2023 tournament comes against Nigeria, and the Canadians will be favourites, entering the competition ranked No. 7 in the world by FIFA, while Nigeria is No. 40.
The best World Cup finish for Canada came in 2003 when they advanced all the way to the semifinals, ultimately coming in fourth.
Canada is considered one of a handful of contenders for the title, especially after winning the 2021 Olympic gold medal. But they will have a tall task just to finish among the top two teams in Group B with Australia (No. 10) and the Republic of Ireland (No. 22) also in the group.
MORE: Betting preview for Canada vs. Nigeria
Canada vs Nigeria TV channel, live stream
- TV Channel: TSN1/4, CTV, RDS (French)
- Live Stream: TSN+, TSN site/app, CTV site/app, RDS site/app (French)
The Canada vs. Nigeria match will be showcased on three networks: TSN, CTV and RDS (French) as well as their streaming platforms.
TSN1 and TSN4 will carry the match, as well as CTV. The French-language broadcast will be supplied by RDS.
Streaming options are available on TSN+ as well as the sites and apps of all three broadcasters (TSN, CTV, RDS).
MORE: How to watch the Women's World Cup in Canada
What time does Canada vs Nigeria start?
This Women's World Cup match at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium kicks off locally in Melbourne, Australia on Friday, July 21 at 12:30 p.m. local time, but with the 14-hour time difference, it takes place on Thursday, July 20 in Canada.
Here's the Canada vs. Nigeria kickoff time on Thursday in Canada:
| Time Zone | Kickoff time |
| Atlantic | 11:30 p.m. AT |
| Eastern | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| Central | 9:30 p.m. CT |
| Mountain | 8:30 p.m. MT |
| Pacific | 8:30 p.m. PT |
MORE: Updated Group B standings for Women's World Cup
Canada World Cup squad 2023
The 23-player roster called up by manager Bev Priestman features many of the names fans will be familiar with from the 2021 Olympic gold medal run, including Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, and Vanessa Gilles. Missing from the list are starters Janine Beckie and Desiree Scott, who are both out injured.
Kailen Sheridan has since taken over for Stephanie Labbe at goalkeeper, and she's quickly established herself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the world.
The team defense is well-established with stars like Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan, who will both be teammates at Chelsea. It remains to be seen which of the forwards will pick up the bulk of the goal-scoring responsibilities alongside legend Christine Sinclair, who is looking to score in her sixth World Cup tournament.
MORE: Canada group schedule during the 2023 FIFA World Cup
| Position | Player | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Sabrina D'Angelo | Arsenal (ENG) | 13 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Lysianne Proulx | Torreense (POR) | 0 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave (USA) | 35 | 0 |
| Defender | Kadeisha Buchanan | Chelsea (ENG) | 131 | 4 |
| Defender | Gabrielle Carle | Washington Spirit (USA) | 36 | 1 |
| Defender | Allysha Chapman | Houston Dash (USA) | 96 | 2 |
| Defender | Vanessa Gilles | Lyon (FRA) | 25 | 3 |
| Defender | Ashley Lawrence | Chelsea (ENG) | 117 | 8 |
| Defender | Jayde Riviere | Manchester United (ENG) | 37 | 1 |
| Defender | Shelina Zadorsky | Tottenham Hotspur | 89 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Simi Awujo | USC Trojans (USA) | 6 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Jessie Fleming | Chelsea (ENG) | 115 | 19 |
| Midfielder | Julia Grosso | Juventus (ITA) | 50 | 3 |
| Midfielder | Quinn | OL Reign (USA) | 89 | 5 |
| Midfielder | Sophie Schmidt | Houston Dash (USA) | 221 | 20 |
| Midfielder | Olivia Smith | Penn State (USA) | 2 | 0 |
| Forward | Jordyn Huitema | OL Reign (USA) | 64 | 16 |
| Forward | Cloe Lacasse | Arsenal (ENG) | 19 | 1 |
| Forward | Adriana Leon | Manchester United (ENG) | 96 | 28 |
| Forward | Nichelle Prince | Houston Dash (USA) | 90 | 13 |
| Forward | Deanne Rose | Unattached | 73 | 10 |
| Forward | Christine Sinclair | Portland Thorns (USA) | 323 | 190 |
| Forward | Evelyne Viens | Kristianstads DFF (SWE) | 18 | 4 |
