Copa America Odds: Team Canada
It’s time for Team Canada to make a statement on the pitch. Ten years ago, our national men’s soccer team was at its lowest point ever, ranking No. 122 overall according to FIFA. Now we’re all the way up to No. 49 as Canada prepare for what should be a very tough test, as Bodog’s 2024 Copa America odds suggest.
This is Canada’s first appearance at the Western Hemisphere’s equivalent of the European Championships. The Copa America is the world’s third most important soccer tournament, after the World Cup and the Euros; and with Canada already suffering a 2-0 defeat to favourites Argentina, there is work to be done. It was an expected defeat against the reigning world champions, with the real match ups yet to come.
Canada Outright Winner Odds
With only 16 teams playing in the Copa America – 10 from the CONMEBOL region, and six (including Canada) from CONCACAF – this is the kind of tournament structure that lends itself to chaos, as mentioned in our recent Copa America betting preview. The betting value should be with the dark horses; Canada rank at +10000 following that opening defeat, and have drifted as a result.
It would be a monumental upset for sure. Canada has been placed in Group A, the “Group of Death” alongside the tournament favourites from Argentina (+150), as well as Chile (+3300) and Peru (+5000). Only the top two will advance from the group stage to the quarter-finals.
Again, the Copa America structure plays in our favour. Canada will battle each of the other three teams once; the match with Peru will take place Tuesday, June 25 (6 PM ET), then they’ll face Chile on Saturday, June 29 (8 PM ET). A win over Peru and a draw versus Chile might be enough to qualify for the knockout stage.
Canada will almost certainly have to beat a team like Argentina or Brazil (the +225 second favourites) at some point in the playoffs. But these will be single-elimination matches, and if they’re tied after 90 minutes of regulation plus two 15-minute halves of extra time, the winners will be decided by a penalty shootout. It takes more than skill and talent to win in these scenarios – dumb luck will also play a role.
Just ask Chile. They won the Copa America in 2015 and 2016, beating Argentina in the final both times on penalties. Granted, that was a much stronger team than what Chile has to offer at this year’s tournament, but they did provide a road map to victory for teams like Canada to follow.
Best Canada Bets
They may be a long shot, but at +10000, betting on Canada to win the Copa America has at least some value attached. This is a program on the rise, one that’s almost certainly being overlooked by the larger betting public outside our borders. Playing on relatively familiar turf in the United States, this year’s host nation, should also help our cause.
If you’re looking for a result that’s more likely to cash in, Team Canada are available at +300 to qualify from Group A. There’s a very good chance we’ll beat Peru; the 1X2 soccer odds at press time have Canada priced at +140, Peru at +195, and the draw after regulation at +235.
With that victory in our back pocket, getting the full three points versus Chile should be enough for Canada to clinch – although a single point might suffice. Odds for this match are pending at press time; depending on the Group A standings, both teams might be satisfied with a draw, which would obviously change their strategy going into the last group stage match.
You can also take Canada at +5000 to win Group A, +650 to reach the semi-finals, and +1800 to make the final. There’s so much choice with Bodog’s Copa America odds.
Best Players
If you’ve only heard about one Canadian men’s soccer player before, it’s probably Alphonso Davies. He’s been named our team captain for the Copa America officially, coming off yet another strong season playing both left back and wing for Bayern Munich – although this was the first year since Davies arrived in 2018 that Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga.
There’s more talent than just Davies on this squad. Jonathan David is an exquisite forward for Lille in France’s Ligue 1, winning the title after his first season there in 2020-21; David played youth soccer in Ottawa before joining the Team Canada program in 2017, and he quickly made his senior debut the following year, then claimed the Golden Boot with six goals at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Keep an eye out as well for forwards Cyle Larin (Mallorca) and Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan), although it appears likely Buchanan will be coming off the bench at the Copa, as will super-sub forward Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville SC). Everything will depend on how well they mesh with Davies now that Canada’s star player is expected to start on defence, in place of injured left back Sam Adekugbe.
Head Coach Profile
This is where the rubber meets the road for Jesse Marsch. A former MLS midfielder and assistant coach under Bob Bradley for Team USA, Marsch has worked his way up the managerial ladder. He was hired on May 13 to take over Team Canada, filling the void after John Herdman left last year for the top job at Toronto FC.
The early results for Marsch have been mixed. Canada travelled to Europe earlier this month and played a pair of friendlies against the Netherlands and France, losing the first 4-0, but drawing the second 0-0. France are one of the very best teams in the world, so again, if we can hold a team like that to a scoreless draw, anything can happen in a penalty shootout.
The big question with Marsch is whether he made the right decision in leaving striker Ike Ugbo (from AC Troyes, in France’s Ligue 2) off the Copa squad. There isn’t much depth on this roster, and Ugbo has plenty of experience despite being just 25 years old. Midfielder Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps) and forward Jacen Russell-Rowe (Columbus Crew) were Marsch’s late call-ups instead.
Previous Tournament Performance
This will be Team Canada’s first-ever appearance at the Copa America, which started inviting teams outside the CONMEBOL region in 1993. And it’s only our third “major” tournament ever, following the 1986 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup.
Just being at the World Cup was good enough for Canada. We were held scoreless in 1986; Davies broke the drought two years ago, but we still lost all three of our group stage matches. Canadian fans are definitely hoping for better things this time around.
It can happen. Canada came out of nowhere to claim the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, making this the only country other than the US and Mexico to win that event. We lost to Team USA on penalties during last year’s quarter-finals – then Panama did the same to the Americans in the semis, proving once again that anything’s possible in international soccer.
Will it happen for Canada this year? Place your bets right now at Bodog Sportsbook by visiting our Copa America odds page, and we’ll see you on the pitch.