Ukraine's players thank fans during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili)

TORONTO — For the 30th-ranked Canadian men, Saturday's matchup with No. 25 Ukraine at the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto is a chance to test themselves against elite European opposition.

But for many in the stands at BMO Field and back home in war-torn Ukraine, the game is much more.

More than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the match offers a rare chance to rally around the Ukrainian national team and show support for a country still fighting for survival. The team can expect a warm welcome, given that it's estimated Canada is home to close to 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent.

Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov knows playing in one of the 2026 World Cup venues could pay dividends down the road. But he sees a bigger reason for coming.

"For me, the most important reason for now, with this situation with the war, is that Canada is one of our most important friends in the world," he said in an interview.

Organizers say they expect some 20,000 in attendance Saturday, with sales increasing in recent days.

The 50-year-old Rebrov, a former star forward whose playing resume includes stints with Dynamo Kyiv and England's Tottenham and West Ham, says his players know they have a bigger purpose than kicking a ball — even if they do so with a heavy heart.

"Now it's very difficult to play, to concentrate on the game," Rebrov said. "Everybody has a friend, family in the army. Everybody's worried about what's happening in our country. Every day they're trying to destroy our infrastructure, kill our people."

"They're doing their best in this very hard period for Ukraine," he said of his players. "We understand we are playing for our soldiers … It's more responsibility now. I'm always telling the players we have to show the spirit, not only spirit of the players but spirit of the country, a country fighting for its freedom."

The Ukraine roster for the Toronto tournament draws on players with clubs in England, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the U.S. and Ukraine. After Canada, Rebrov's team takes on No. 86 New Zealand on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian domestic league continues to play, albeit with limits on attendance connected to the capacity of nearby air shelters. One recent game took more than 4 1/2 hours to complete because of air raid sirens going off.

Matches are scheduled for early afternoon due to frequent power outages and the difficulty in travelling during wartime. Ukrainian soccer players are subject to the draft at age 25, but clubs can apply for exemptions.

The 16-team Ukraine league wrapped up its season last month with Dynamo Kyiv topping the table at 20-0-10. The new season kicks off Aug. 2.

Ukraine teams playing in European competitions have had to travel outside their border for home games, often having to take circuitous routes. Rebrov acknowledges that assembling the national team is a challenge but notes it pales "compared to what the soldiers go through."

Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Association of Football, calls the Canadian Shield a "very positive event for us."

"First of all, Canada is one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine. Second, Canada is the largest community of Ukrainian people in the world (outside of Ukraine)," said the former Dynamo Kyiv, Chelsea and AC Milan striker.

"And we really think, in our professional view, Canada is a very good team," he added.

Canada played Ukraine to a 2-2 draw in their only previous meeting, in October 2010 in Kyiv. The 48-year-old Shevchenko remembers it well since he earned his 100th cap for Ukraine that night.

"I have a good memory from that game," he said. "One hundred caps for the national team is always a big target. And then for me, I'm very attached to Ukraine, very attached to my country, to the national team jersey. It was a big moment for me."

Shevchenko says the national team helps connect its people.

"We're still fighting for our democracy, for our sons to exist. Football plays a very big role because it is sport No. 1 in Ukraine. All the fans, most of them, defend our country on the frontline. They also connect to the team."

He says Ukraine's people celebrate sporting successes, like qualifying for Euro 2024, playing at the Paris Olympics and finishing third at the 2024 Futsal World Cup. Ukraine will also compete in the FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup in September in Chile.

"This all has a good impact on society in Ukraine," said Shevchenko, "People are watching football and are proud."

Most recently, Ukraine narrowly lost a two-legged UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff in March to Belgium 4-3 on aggregate, winning the opening leg 3-0 in Spain before falling 3-1 in the rematch in Belgium, with Romelu Lukaku's 86th-minute goal deciding the series.

Ukraine starts World Cup qualifying play in September in a group that also contains No. 3 France, No. 74 Ireland and No. 119 Azerbaijan. The group winner qualifies directly for the World Cup finals, while the runner-up moves on to a two-legged playoff.

Ukraine reached the quarterfinals in its lone trip to the World Cup, in 2006 with both Rebrov and Shevchenko on the team.

Ukraine went 1-1-1 at Euro 2024, failing to advance out of the group stage after losing 3-0 to Romania, defeating Slovakia 2-1 and drawing Belgium 0-0. All three teams finished with four points but Ukraine finished last on goal difference.

Ukraine was 6-4-4 in 2024 but has not played at home since November 2021 with more than three dozen consecutive away matches since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Ukraine Roster

Valeriy Bondar, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Artem Bondarenko, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Yevhen Cheberko, Columbus Crew (MLS); Vladyslav Dubinchak, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Oleksiy Hutsuliak, Polissya Zhytomyr (Ukraine); Vladyslav Kabaiev, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Oleksandriya (Ukraine); Andriy Lunin, Real Madrid (Spain); Oleksandr Martyniuk, Oleksandriya (Ukraine), Mykola Matviyenko, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Mykola Mykhailenko, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Bohdan Mykhailichenko, Polissya Zhytomyr (Ukraine); Oleksandr Nazarenko, Polissya Zhytomyr (Ukraine); Yehor Nazaryna, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Oleksandr Pikhalonok, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Dmytro Riznyk, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Mykola Shaparenko, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Heorhiy Sudakov, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine); Maksym Talovierov, Plymouth Argyle (England); Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica (Portugal); Viktor Tsyhankov , Girona (Spain); Oleksandr Tymchyk, Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine); Roman Yaremchuk, Olympiacos (Greece); Illia Zabarnyi, Bournemouth (England); Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bournemouth (England); Oleksandr Zubkob, Trabzonspor (Turkey).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025