Wales Face Canada in International Friendly Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers
Wales will take on Canada in an international friendly at Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday, 9 September, with kick-off set for 19:45 BST. Fans can follow the action live on iPlayer, My Newspaper One, My Newspaper Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and Sounds, as well as on the My Newspaper Sport website and app, including live text commentary.
The Welsh camp arrives in Swansea with renewed focus after a grueling World Cup qualifying trip to Kazakhstan, a journey that Craig Bellamy described as “logistically crazy.” The 7,000-mile round trip to Astana Arena was the furthest the team has ever traveled for a qualifier, with limited preparation on an artificial pitch and a squad hit by injuries.
Bellamy, who repeated “no excuses” during the buildup, admitted the challenges were greater than anticipated. “Some players turn up on Sunday, transfer deadline day on Monday, and a few of our boys were involved,” he said with a grin. “Then we traveled Tuesday, trained Wednesday – one session. Four hours’ time difference, artificial pitch. It’s so new. Some players are playing, some players are not. It adds to the excitement, but I was a little bit more in the unknown than I would usually like to be.”
Despite the obstacles, Wales secured a hard-earned 1-0 win in Kazakhstan, demonstrating their resilience even in a less-than-perfect performance. Bellamy was candid about his team’s display, noting that while it wasn’t vintage football, the result was what mattered most. “To come away with a win, I’m really picky with performances but I don’t care,” he said. “Certain parts of the performance I’d love to be better. I’m very greedy with that, but I sort of live in a real world as well.”
One of the standout positives from the Astana match was the emergence of 19-year-old Dylan Lawlor, who made his international debut from the start. The Cardiff City centre-back impressed with his composure, aerial ability, and positioning, earning praise from Bellamy as “brilliant.” Lawlor’s performance provides the Welsh coach with additional defensive options as the team prepares for upcoming friendlies and crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Looking ahead, Wales will face Canada and England in friendlies before returning to competitive action against Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium on 13 October. The team remains in contention for top spot in Group J but will need victories in all remaining fixtures and rely on Belgium dropping points to secure first place. Even if they finish second, Wales are all but guaranteed a play-off spot due to their Nations League performance, offering multiple pathways to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Bellamy remains cautiously optimistic about his group’s prospects. After the dramatic events of last year’s Nations League, he is aware that surprises can happen. “You just don’t know,” he said, reflecting on the unpredictability of international football and the chance for Wales to continue their progress on the world stage.
The friendly against Canada provides an opportunity to fine-tune tactics, give emerging players like Lawlor valuable experience, and maintain momentum as Wales prepare for the challenges ahead. With World Cup qualification on the line, Bellamy’s squad is determined to build on recent successes and show that Welsh football is capable of competing at the highest level.
