The Canadian women’s ninth-ranked team will face off against Japan, ranked eighth, in their final match of the 2025 schedule during the upcoming November international window. Canada Soccer has announced that head coach Casey Stoney will not be accompanying the team to Nagasaki due to personal family reasons. Assistant coach Natalie Henderson will take charge of the team, with Jen Herst, the under-17 coach, joining the technical staff.
In a statement, Stoney expressed her regret at missing the upcoming window but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rebound and put up a strong performance against Japan. Stoney acknowledged Japan’s high level of technical and tactical prowess, emphasizing the challenge of competing on their home turf. She highlighted the significance of this window in the team’s progress as they work towards the 2026 goals.
Ottawa Rapid forward DB Pridham, who topped the Northern Super League with 20 goals this season, has received her first call-up to the national team. Pridham, a dual citizen born in California to Canadian parents, has previously played in Iceland and Sweden before earning the NSL Player of the Year title.
The Canadian women’s team has faced three consecutive defeats, losing 1-0 to both Switzerland and the Netherlands, followed by a disappointing 3-0 loss to the U.S. Stoney criticized the team’s performance after the defeat to Switzerland, emphasizing the need for improvement in various areas.
Canada has historically struggled against Japan, with a 4-8-4 all-time record and only one win in the last seven encounters. The upcoming matches in Nagasaki on November 29 and December 2 will provide a test for both teams. Japan, which reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Cup, has been in good form recently.
Apart from Pridham, the Canadian squad remains mostly unchanged from the previous international window, with veteran defender Vanessa Gilles returning from injury. Notable absences include Olivia Smith, who was sidelined due to a hip injury sustained while playing for Arsenal, and teenage striker Kaylee Hunter, who missed out on international action due to injury concerns.