While fans will have to wait until February and the Concacaf Champions Cup to see CPL clubs back in action, November’s international break will bring with it a chance to watch several players who played in the league last season represent their respective countries.
They will be doing so in some pretty critical matches as well, with high-profile World Cup qualifying and Nations League matches being played across multiple continents over the next few days.
Of particular note, this includes York United striker Osaze De Rosario, who earned his first international call-up for Guyana ahead of an important pair of Concacaf Nations League matches for them.
Here is a look at the seven players representing their countries this window. All Concacaf Nations League matches will be available to watch exclusively on OneSoccer in Canada.
Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers/Trinidad and Tobago)
After finishing second in Group A of the 2023-24 Nations League group stage, Andre Rampersad and Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the quarter-final round where they face a massive test against back-to-back Concacaf Nations League champs, the United States.
That two-legged series begins on Thursday night (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) at Q2 stadium, the home of Major League Soccer’s Austin FC. The away leg will be played on Monday, Nov. 20 in Trinidad and Tobago.
T&T’s most recent meeting with the United States, at this summer’s Gold Cup, didn’t exactly go to plan as they lost 6-0 in their final group stage match. There was at least one memorable moment for Rampersad at that otherwise difficult Gold Cup tournament for the Soca Warriors, as he scored his first international goal in a 4-1 loss against Jamaica.
GOAL 🇹🇹
A #CanPL legend has scored at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup 😎@HFXWanderersFC's Andre Rampersad scores for Trinidad and Tobago, getting into the box and scoring off a driven cross from out wide 🎯 pic.twitter.com/KphNyY8KW1
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) June 29, 2023
Rampersad has now played five matches for his country, but Thursday night against the United States will undoubtedly be the biggest. Win that two-legged series, and they will qualify for the 2024 Copa América.
Malcolm Shaw (Atlético Ottawa/Trinidad and Tobago)
This past season, the 28-year-old Atlético Ottawa striker received his first call-up for Trinidad and Tobago and has since become a regular inclusion in their side. He has again been called up for a critical series against the United States.
Having now made five appearances since his first call-up in June, Shaw scored in a 3-2 win over El Salvador in September. That goal, and victory, is a big reason why Trinidad and Tobago advanced past the group stage round of the Concacaf Nations League.
The Trinidad and Tobago squad also features Shaw’s former Atlético Ottawa teammate Ryan Telfer, who has become a key player for the Soca Warriors.
William Akio (Cavalry FC/South Sudan)
Not to be outdone in terms of important fixtures, Cavalry FC attacker William Akio and South Sudan begin CAF 2026 World Cup qualifying with an absolutely massive test against one of the region’s best, playing Senegal on the road on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Senegal are the defending African Cup of Nations champions, and their squad features the likes of former Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy, Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye and former Bayern Munich/Liverpool star Sadio Mané. Facing that calibre of player will unquestionably be a great experience for Akio should he play.
South Sudan follow that up with a match against Mauritania at home. Akio has earned five caps for the Bright Stars since making his debut against Uzbekistan on Jan. 27, 2022.
Pacifique Niyongabire (Valour FC/Burundi)
Niyongabire’s international window has already gotten off to a victorious start as the Valour FC winger’s Burundi national team opened Group F of CAF World Cup qualifying with a 3-2 win over The Gambia on Thursday.
The 23-year-old, however, was an unused sub during the match. He will hope to see action in Burundi’s other match of the window when they host Gabon on Sunday, Nov. 19.
Niyongabire has made five appearances for Burundi, scoring his first international goal in March of this year against Indonesia.
Osaze De Rosario (York United/Guyana)
Born in California, and also eligible to represent Canada, the son of Canadian men’s national team legend Dwayne De Rosario has chosen a different path internationally.
The younger De Ro, of York United, accepted his first international call-up this week and looks primed to appear in a pair of big Nations League B matches for Guyana, who will be looking to secure promotion to Nations League A.
Given his penchant for scoring in the Canadian Premier League, having found the back of the net 19 times for York since joining them at the start of the 2022 season, the 22-year-old De Rosario is sure to be a big add for the Golden Jaguars.
Jonathan Grant (York United/Guyana)
This could be a monumental window ahead for Jonathan Grant at the Guyanese men’s national team as they finish up their group-stage action in Concacaf Nations League B. They travel to the already-relegated Bahamas on Saturday, Nov. 18 before their group stage finale on Tuesday, Nov. 21 against Antigua and Barbuda.
Guyana need just a single point from those two matches, or any point dropped by Puerto Rico, in order to secure promotion to Nations League A. Through four matches in Group D they have a perfect 4-0-0 record, and a six-point lead over second-place Puerto Rico.
The three-time Canadian Premier League champion has now made four appearances for Guyana. Before this, Grant previously represented Canada at the U-23 level back in 2015.
Brem Soumaoro (York United/Liberia)
Last but not least among the contingent of Nine Stripes on international duty this window, Brem Soumaoro is back with Liberia for Group H action in CAF World Cup qualifying.
The 27-year-old Soumaoro has made nine appearances for his country since his debut in 2021, even wearing the captain’s armband on a few occasions. He will be looking to add to that total over the coming days as Liberia host Malawi on Friday, and then Equatorial Guinea on Monday, November 20.
The top side in each of the nine groups will advance directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is co-hosted by Canada. The four best group runners-up will then face off in a semifinal and final for the tenth and final CAF World Cup spot.