Surrey’s Badwal ready to play for Canada at FIFA World Cup, if call comes
Published 11:30 am Monday, June 8, 2026
A lot of dominoes would have to fall his way but Jeevan Badwal could still play for Canada at the FIFA World Cup men’s soccer tournament starting Thursday, June 11.
The Surrey-raised midfielder is among Vancouver Whitecaps FC players eligible to suit up as injury replacement, along with Sam Adekugbe and Ralph Priso.
National team head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed his 26-man roster May 29, two weeks ahead of Canada’s first match Friday, June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Obviously it would have been great to be part of the team, and that’s still my goal of mine,” Badwal said from his family home in Newton.
“I got an email saying I’m part of the wider squad, the 55-man roster, and that anything could happen, I have to be on standby,” Badwal added. “I’m local here, so I’m ready, and it would be a cool experience. Like I said, anything could happen.”
On the sideline for now, Badwal says he’ll stay fit and also stay close to home for a youth soccer camp he’ll attend in Newton on Wednesday (June 10) and an appearance at the Surrey Soccer Fan Zone at Civic Plaza on Friday (June 12), during Canada’s first game at the World Cup.
“I’ll be there during the game to meet fans, sign some things,” Badwal said of the Fan Zone event Friday, noon start time. “It will be pretty cool, a great way for people to watch the game, for the community to come out and watch Canada in the World Cup. I’ll be watching whenever I can.”
Badwal should see action when the Whitecaps play at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium on Wednesday, July 8 vs. Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC, in the first leg of the TELUS Canadian Championship quarterfinals.
“We’re off for a couple weeks with the World Cup starting, then we’ll train for a couple weeks before that game,” Badwal noted.
Four players with B.C. roots, all defenders, were named to Canada’s 26-man roster including Niko Sigur, 22, of Burnaby, Alistair Johnston, 27, of Vancouver, Joel Waterman, 30, of Aldergrove/Langley and Alphonso Davies, 25, of Burnaby/Edmonton.
Canada will compete in Group B at the World Cup with the first match June 12, then June 18 (vs. Qatar) and June 24 (Switzerland) at Vancouver Stadium (aka BC Place), all broadcast live on TSN, CTV, Crave and RDS in Canada.