Canada will get an appropriate test in its final friendly before the 2026 World Cup.
Although Ireland missed out on qualifying for the tournament, they’re a solid side and one that will make you work for every inch on the pitch.
It’s exactly what a manager would want from an opponent in a tune-up.
The Canadians, playing in front of their home fans at Saputo Stadium in Montreal, are -195 favorites to win this friendly.
Canada vs. Ireland odds, prediction
Jesse Marsch and Canada will face raised expectations at the World Cup, not only because they are a co-host, but also because Canadian soccer is on the rise.
A big part of that rise has been the development of Alphonso Davies, the best player the True North has ever produced. Davies will not feature in this friendly, and he’s questionable to play in the upcoming tournament.
Without Davies, the Canadians lose some bite.
There’s still plenty of talent in their ranks with Jonathan David and Taj Buchanan up front, but it would be a surprise if Marsch wants his two best healthy players to go full throttle in their last warm-up match.
Instead, I expect Marsch to rotate his squad heavily and put an emphasis on getting minutes to reserves who could play bit-part roles over the next month.
Ireland doesn’t have this issue.
The Irish were devastated when they blew their chance at the World Cup, but this team is trending in the right direction with the emergence of some rising stars, including Troy Parrott.
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Characterized by tenacity and making themselves tough to beat, I expect Ireland to give Canada a real tussle Friday night.
These odds have been impacted by the fact that Canada is going to the World Cup and Ireland isn’t, but I think that’s incorrect. There really isn’t that much that separates these two rosters, especially since Marsch will handle this match with the utmost care.
Ireland at +500 odds is a terrific bet.
The Play: Ireland moneyline (+500, DraftKings)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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