Canada to host Iran in World Cup prep match on June 5

Canada will prepare for its first World Cup since 1986 with an exhibition against Iran on June 5 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Canada plays Curaçao at Vancouver on June 9 and is at Honduras on June 13, both in the CONCACAF Nations League. The match against Iran was announced Thursday.

No. 38 Canada opens the World Cup Group F against second-ranked Belgium on Nov. 23, plays No. 16 Croatia four days later and No. 24 Morocco on Dec. 1.

No 21 Iran starts Group B against fifth-ranked England on Nov. 21, meets Wales, Scotland or Ukraine four days later and closes the first round against the 15th-ranked United States on Nov. 29.

Canada beat Iran 1-0 in April 2001 at Cairo and Iran won 1-0 in 1997 at Toronto and 1999 at Edmonton, Alberta. The Canadians have played just two teams from outside their region since John Herdman took over as coach in January 2018: a 1-0 loss to Iceland in January 2020 and a 1-0 win over New Zealand in March 2018.