Canada Soccer to reveal World Cup roster on Sunday

Canada coach John Herdman plans to announce his World Cup roster on Sunday, 10 days before opening play in Qatar against No. 2 Belgium.

Herdman can name up to 26 players. The roster limit was 23 at past tournaments.

In June, FIFA announced that final rosters have been increased “given the need to retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments.”

The soccer showcase is being held in November and December as opposed to the usual summer months because of Qatar’s high temperatures. The scheduling means most players are involved in club games right until the World Cup break.

Herdman has said he planned to leave his reveal until as late as possible to accommodate injuries. The deadline is Nov. 14.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports