Written by:Mitchell Tierney

On March 20, the Canadian men’s national team step out onto the pitch at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles looking to reach a second-ever Concacaf Nations League final. They face Mexico in the 2024-25 semi-final, before a chance to play either the United States or Panama in the final on March 23. On Monday, Canada Soccer revealed which players may be part of that squad, announcing the 60-man preliminary roster for the competition. All players from their final squad must be selected from the preliminary roster. The deadline to submit a final 23-player roster is March 10. Canada will make its final squad announcement in the coming weeks. Canada’s group includes 16-year-old York United sensation Shola Jimoh, who was recently part of a Canadian senior men’s national team training camp in November. This past month, Jimoh helped Canada to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scoring a pair of goals during Concacaf qualifying. With York United in his debut CPL season, he scored four times and added one assist in all competitions — including a second-half stoppage time equalizing stunner against Atlético Ottawa in the 2024 CPL Playoffs. The Canadian preliminary group also includes some intriguing dual-nationals and youth national team standouts. Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, who recently filed his one-time switch to join Canada, is on the list, as is Bournemouth striker Daniel Jebbison — who is reported to be doing the same in the coming weeks. Justin Smith of Espanyol in La Liga also makes the list as does Santiago López of Pumas UNAM, who recently scored against the CPL’s Cavalry FC in Concacaf Champions Cup action. Canada U-17 star Andre Ali-Gayapersad of CF Damm and Moise Clovis Archange of Orlando City’s academy were also included after their strong performances during Concacaf U-17 World Cup qualifiers. Other names to note: Jovan Ivanisevic, who after experience in the Croatian top flight was recently loaned to Bologna’s U-20 team in Italy and Vitoria SC’s Dieu-Merci Michel. Former CPLers include Lukas MacNaughton, James Pantemis, Kwasi Poku, Jonathan Sirois and Joel Waterman. Here is Canada’s full 60-man preliminary roster: Adekugbe, Sam // Vancouver Whitecaps FC
​Afrifa, Stephen // Sporting Kansas City
​Akinpelu, Promise // Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
​Ali-Gayapersad, Andre // CF Damm
​Ahmed, Ali // Vancouver Whitecaps FC
​Archange, Moise Clovis // Orlando City Academy
​Bair, Theo // AJ Auxerre
​Bassong, Zorhan // Sporting Kansas City
​Bombito, Moïse // OGC Nice ​
​Brault-Guillard, Zachary // FC Lugano
​Brym, Charles-Andreas // Almere City FC
​Buchanan, Tajon // Villarreal CF
​Choinière, Mathieu // Grasshopper Club Zurich
​Corbeanu, Theodor // Toronto FC
​Cornelius, Derek // Olympique de Marseille
​Crépeau, Maxime // Portland Timbers FC
​David, Jonathan // LOSC Lille
​Davies, Alphonso // FC Bayern Munich
​De Fougerolles, Luc // Fulham FC Academy
​Edwards, Raheem // New York Red Bulls
​Eustáquio, Stephen // FC Porto
​Hiebert, Kyle // St. Louis CITY SC
​Hoilett, Junior // Hibernian FC
​Ivanisevic, Jovan // Bologna FC 1909 U20
​Jebbison, Daniel // Bournemouth FC
​Jimoh, Shola // York United FC
​Johnston, Alistair // Celtic FC
​Kaye, Mark-Anthony // San Jose Earthquakes
​Kennedy, Scott // K.A.S. Eupen
​Kerr, Deandre // Toronto FC
​Knight-Lebel, Jamie // Crewe Alexandra
​Koné, Ismaël // Stade Rennais FC
​Larin, Cyle // RCD Mallorca
​Laryea, Richie // Toronto FC
​López, Santiago // Pumas UNAM
​MacNaughton, Lukas // D.C. United
​Marshall-Rutty, Jakheele // CF Montréal
​McGill, Thomas // MK Dons FC
​McGraw, Zac // Portland Timbers FC
​Michel, Dieu-Merci // Vitória de Guimarães
​Miller, Kamal // Portland Timbers FC
​Nelson, Jayden // Vancouver Whitecaps FC
​Oluwaseyi, Tani // Minnesota United FC
​Osorio, Jonathan // Toronto FC
​Pantemis, James // Portland Timbers FC
​Paton, Harry // Motherwell FC
​Piette, Samuel // CF Montréal
​Poku, Kwasi // R.W.D. Molenbeek
​Priso, Ralph // Vancouver Whitecaps FC
​Russell-Rowe, Jacen // Columbus Crew
​Saliba, Nathan // CF Montréal
​Shaffelburg, Jacob // Nashville SC
​Sigur, Niko // HNK Hajduk Split
​Sirois, Jonathan // CF Montréal
​Smith, Justin // RCD Espanyol
​St. Clair, Dayne // Minnesota United FC
​Stewart-Baynes, Kimani // Colorado Rapids
​Świderski, Grégoire // Deportivo Alavés B
​Thompson, Kosi // Toronto FC
​Waterman, Joel // CF Montréal