VANCOUVER, BC – Canada Soccer announced on Thursday that Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) defender Immanuel Mathe, midfielder Jeevan Badwal, and forward Myles Morgan have been called up to Canada's U-20 squad for the upcoming 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship, which is set to take place from July 19 to August 4 in Mexico.
Canada has been drawn into Group B for the Concacaf U-20 Championship alongside Honduras, Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. The top two finishers in each group and the two best third places will advance to the quarterfinals. The knockout stage will include eight teams, starting with the quarterfinals on July 30 and 31, then the semifinals on August 2, and the final on Sunday, August 4. The four semifinalists will also guarantee their participation in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Les Rouges will open up group stage play against Honduras on Saturday, July 20, they'll then face Dominican Republic on Tuesday, July 23, and wrap-up group stage action against El Salvador on Friday, July 26. All three matches are set to take place at Estadio Sergio León Chávez in Irapuato, Mexico.
Mathe, 18, is a graduate of the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System. In his first season playing in MLS NEXT Pro, the product of Burnaby, BC has started 12 of his 13 appearances for WFC2. Mathe was part of the recent Canada U-20 camp in Chile this June, and was also called up to a U-17 national team camp in 2022.
Badwal, 18, is another graduate of the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System. The resident of Surrey, BC recently made his Whitecaps FC first team debut when he entered as a second-half substitute in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals against Pacific FC on July 10. In his first season signed as a pro, Badwal has scored two goals and added three assists in 14 appearances and 12 starts in MLS NEXT Pro. Badwal was part of Canada's Concacaf U-20 qualifyinf campaign, as well as the recent camp in Chile. Previously, the midfielder also started all three matches for Canada at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
Morgan, 19, will look to to continue his strong performances from Concacaf U-20 qualifying with Canada, where he scored four goals in two matches. Like his teammates, the striker was also a part of the recent U-20 camp in Chile in June. With WFC2 this season, Morgan has recorded two goals and two assists in 11 appearances and six starts in MLS NEXT Pro. The product of Toronto, Ontario joined the 'Caps from Toronto FC II in May.
