Men’s squad says Canada Soccer attempting to force national teams into ‘inadequate’ deal

Canada’s men’s soccer team says the national organization is “attempting to capitalize on the pressure of the Women’s World Cup” to force an “inadequate” compensation deal.

In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, the men’s team said it is working with the women’s team — which plays its second World Cup group-stage match on Wednesday — to finalize a short-term payment agreement with Canada Soccer.

“Unfortunately, Canada Soccer has reduced its offers from one proposal to the next despite receiving no additional or higher demands from the national team players,” the statement read.

The men’s team added that it remains unpaid from its own World Cup, which ended in December.

The team claimed that Canada Soccer is saying it cannot honour an offer proposed by former president Nick Bontis in March “because [it was] made without the approval of the board of directors or the chief financial officer.”

It says Canada Soccer is attempting to keep 70 per cent of combined men’s and women’s World Cup earnings while “simultaneously demanding” per-game compensation is reduced by up to 75 per cent.

CBC Sports has reached out to Canada Soccer for a response.

Canada Soccer and its men’s and women’s teams have been embroiled in a labour dispute for more than a year.

The women have been without a labour deal since the last one expired at the end of 2021. Captain Christine Sinclair said she expected a deal ahead of its first World Cup match, but that never materialized.

The men are working on their first formal labour agreement.

Both teams have taken job action: the men boycotted a planned friendly game in Vancouver against Panama in June 2022 over their dissatisfaction with the progress of the labour talks, while the women threatened to strike at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S.

The women’s team returned to the field after Canada Soccer threatened legal action.

Controversial CSB deal

At the heart of the issue is Canada Soccer’s controversial broadcast agreement with Canadian Soccer Business (CSB).

Under the terms of the deal, CSB pays Canada Soccer a set amount each year and keeps the rest, which helps fund the Canadian Premier League.

“We have repeatedly heard, read and learned, including through the Canadian Heritage Committee and press reports, that the CSB deal has ‘handcuffed’ Canada Soccer, that Canada Soccer is under immense pressure not to challenge the deal, that CSB does not care if it bankrupts Canada Soccer,” said the men’s team.

Canada Soccer general secretary Jason deVos told CBC Sports in June that the organization is not considering filing bankruptcy despite media reports suggesting otherwise.

WATCH | Jimmy Brennan reacts to report of Canada Soccer facing financial struggles:

Analyst Jimmy Brennan on the grim reports of Canada Soccer facing financial struggles | Soccer North

Host Andi Petrillo speaks with the former CNMT player about his disappointment that Canada Soccer is facing the same financial problems he experienced 30 years ago.

The men’s team added that even if it were to play under worse financial terms and working conditions, the CSB deal would remain an issue.

“We cannot stand idly and watch our federation — a non-profit organization — unable to fulfill its obligations as the governing body of our sport in Canada and brought to its knees financially by diversion of funds to for-profit entities.”

The men’s team said it will not speak again until after the Women’s World Cup.