Young midfielder to represent Canada in Mexico as Inter Toronto celebrates another international milestone
Inter Toronto midfielder Shola Jimoh has been named in Canada’s 21-player squad for the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship, earning another major international opportunity as he prepares to help his country chase qualification for both the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the Olympic Games. Canada Soccer confirmed the squad on Friday, with Jimoh among four Canadian Premier League players selected for the tournament.
The tournament, scheduled to run from 24 July to 9 August in Mexico, serves as Concacaf’s qualifying competition for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The four semi-finalists will secure places at the U-20 World Cup, while the highest-finishing Concacaf nation apart from already-qualified hosts the United States will claim the confederation’s second Olympic berth.
Inter Toronto hailed Jimoh’s selection as another landmark in the midfielder’s rapid development.
The club said his inclusion reflects the steady progress he has made since joining its first-team setup and underlines its growing reputation for producing players capable of competing on the international stage.
Jimoh is no stranger to Canada’s youth programme. Earlier this year, he featured in the Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers in Nicaragua, helping Canada top Group F after recording three victories in four matches. Canada scored 24 goals, conceded just once and finished with a remarkable +23 goal difference to book their place at the continental championship.
Canada Soccer has assembled one of its strongest youth coaching teams for the tournament, with senior men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch working alongside assistant Mauro Biello, national youth director Andrew Olivieri and Andrea Di Pietrantonio. The arrangement is designed to strengthen the pathway between Canada’s youth and senior national teams as preparations begin for the next FIFA World Cup cycle.
Sporting director Kenneth Heiner-Møller described the competition as a crucial step in the development of Canada’s next generation.
“We’re excited for this team to get the chance to compete for World Cup and Olympic Games qualification on the same trip. That’s exactly the kind of challenge this age group should experience, against good opposition, and this time also in a demanding environment.”
Canada have been drawn into Group C, where they will face Panama, Honduras and Jamaica at Estadio Universitario BUAP in Puebla. The top two teams in each group, along with the two best third-placed finishers, will advance to the knockout stage. Quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played in Puebla before the championship match takes place in Mexico City.
Jimoh is one of four Canadian Premier League representatives in the squad, alongside Forge FC’s Zayne Bruno, Atlético Ottawa defender Sergei Kozlovskiy and Vancouver FC midfielder Emrick Fotsing, highlighting the growing contribution of the domestic league to Canada’s national team pipeline.
For Inter Toronto, Jimoh’s latest call-up represents more than individual recognition. It reinforces the club’s commitment to youth development and provides another example of its academy and first-team pathway producing talent capable of representing Canada on the international stage.
With World Cup and Olympic qualification at stake, Jimoh now has the opportunity to further establish himself as one of Canada’s brightest young prospects while helping his country pursue another successful chapter in its rapidly developing football story.
Leave feedback about this