Canada women celebrate international debut by winning CONCACAF W Futsal Championship
GUATEMALA CITY – Esther Brossard scored three goals to help Canada win the inaugural CONCACAF W Futsal Championship with a comprehensive 8-2 win over Panama in Sunday's final.
The Canadian women had already booked their ticket to the first-ever FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout in the semifinal Saturday. The two finalists at the nine-team CONCACAF competition will represent the region at the 16-team FIFA Futsal World Cup, slated for Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 in the Philippines.
The Canadian performance is especially impressive given the CONCACAF tournament marked the debut of the Canadian women's futsal squad.
'From Day 1, these players embraced the challenge of making history,' said Canada coach Alexandre Da Rocha. 'This is a moment of pride for our players, our staff and the entire futsal community in Canada.
'We entered believing we could compete — and now we leave as champions, with our ticket to the World Cup secured. It's an incredible start for this program.'
Futsal is a five-a-side indoor soccer game played in two 20-minute halves. Like hockey, teams can make changes on the fly.
Erica Hindmarsh, Joëlle Gosselin, Keera Melenhorst, Stephie-Ann Dadaille and Shayla He also scored for Canada in the final at the Domo Polideportivo.
Canada's Léa Palacio-Tellier won the tournament's Best Goalkeeper Award while Brossard, who led the tournament with eight goals, earned the tournament's Best Player Award. Canada also received the Fair Play Award.
The Canada-Mexico semifinal Saturday went to the shootout after finishing tied 4-4 after two five-minute periods of extra time.
Mexico scored three unanswered goals in the first half before Canada answered with four of its own in the first four minutes of the second half. Trailing 4-3, Mexico tied the game with 1.8 seconds remaining on a goal by Rubi Gomez with its net empty.
Panama downed Costa Rica 3-1 in the other semifinal.
The Canadians moved into the semifinals after beating the U.S. 3-1 to finish runner-up to Costa Rica at 2-1-0 in Group B.
Da Rocha, a former coach of the Quebec's women's futsal team and assistant coach with the Canadian men's futsal side, was tasked with assembling the national team. Named coach on Jan. 31, Da Rocha held talent evaluation camps in several provinces before holding a final selection camp in late May.
Female futsal players have long campaigned for a FIFA championship. In 2022, the International Women's Futsal Players Association condemned FIFAs 'public neglect towards women futsal players.'
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On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
FIFA held the first Futsal Men's World Cup in 1989 with the 2028 edition featuring 24 teams. Defending champion Brazil has won six of the 10 tournaments to date, finishing runner-up once and third twice.
Canada has not participated since being one of the 16 invited countries for the inaugural men's tournament, failing to advance out of the first round after losing to Argentina and Belgium before downing Japan.
That 1989 futsal team included Paul Dolan, Pat Harrington, Nick De Santis, Eddy Berdusco, Lyndon Hooper and Alex Bunbury. Dolan was also a member of Canada's 1986 FIFA World Cup squad in Mexico.
There have been eight editions of the CONCACAF Men's Futsal Championship with Canada participating in four of them. Canada's best showing was making the quarterfinals, in both 2021 and 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2025.
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He's been productive and has ample upside. Stacy Bengs / The Associated Press Files Minnesota Wild centreman Marco Rossi (left) is coming off a season where he scored 60 points with 24 goals and appeared in all 82 regular-season games. Stacy Bengs / The Associated Press Files Minnesota Wild centreman Marco Rossi (left) is coming off a season where he scored 60 points with 24 goals and appeared in all 82 regular-season games. The Jets would have done their homework on Rossi leading into the 2020 NHL Draft, where he was chosen ninth overall, one slot before the Jets grabbed Perfetti. Rossi is smaller in stature (five-foot-nine), but has excellent vision and looks like someone that could blossom as a second-line centre. The Wild are looking to improve its depth at centre beyond Joel Eriksson Ek, so it seems strange that they would consider moving Rossi but his name is definitely out there. 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We'll explore the list more extensively in the days leading up to the NHL draft and free agency, but someone that has my attention is Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger. The son of longtime NHLer Mike Sillinger was chosen 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2021 NHL draft and finds himself behind former Jets' centre Sean Monahan and Adam Fantilli on the depth chart. Sillinger had 11 goals and 33 points in 66 games last season while averaging just under 17 minutes per game and is someone who might benefit from a change of scenery. Although the 22-year-old was born in Columbus, Ohio, he's got Regina roots and could excel while playing on the Prairies. Sillinger had 16 goals and 31 points as an NHL rookie and has already been in double digits for goals three times. Could he hit 20 goals with an expanded role? Only time will tell, but Sillinger is six-foot-one and 205 pounds and has recorded 396 hits during the past four seasons, so he would bring some edge to go along with his complementary production. 11. Do you see the Jets re-signing Mason Appleton or Brandon Tanev? Which current Moose player will make the opening lineup? MARK MCINTYRE: No. And no. I really don't see room for either player, with the Jets likely filling their positions with younger and cheaper players. Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford are two potential wingers with the Moose who immediately come to mind, with both showing well this year in brief looks with the Jets before they suffered season-ending injuries on the farm. Obviously Brad Lambert will get a long look in camp, even if he took a big offensive step back in his sophomore AHL season, and Salomonsson should, at the very least, get some NHL games. 12. With second line centre being the perpetual gap in the lineup and limited options for acquiring a new one, why is there not more consideration for moving Gabe Vilardi to 2C? Despite success when required, Blake Wheeler always seemed to resist the idea too. I wonder why obviously skilled players with the aptitude for the centre position avoid (second line) centre? @ WIEBE: There's little doubt the Jets will be investigating the second-line centre position once again this summer, but it's one of several things to monitor within the top-six forward group. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files There's little doubt Gabe Vilardi could be an effective second-line centre for the Jets, but they would need to replace his offence – 61 points in 71 games – on their top line. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files There's little doubt Gabe Vilardi could be an effective second-line centre for the Jets, but they would need to replace his offence – 61 points in 71 games – on their top line. While it's true that Vilardi played some solid minutes at centre as a member of the Los Angeles Kings before he was traded to the Jets, given some of the health challenges he's endured over the past several seasons, playing on the wing is typically a bit easier on his body. That's one of the biggest factors. Another thing is that Vilardi was part of one of the most productive first lines in the entire NHL before he got hurt last season. If he's moving to centre, he's moving to the second line. Essentially that was the question the Jets had to consider with Wheeler, who was one of the best right-wingers in the NHL at the time. Were they better off with Wheeler at 2C or playing on the top line with Scheifele and Connor? This is a similar situation. There's little doubt Vilardi could be an effective 2C, but the Jets would also need to replace his offence (27 goals, 61 points in 71 games) on the top line if they made that move. Could the Lowry injury force the Jets to reconsider? It's possible, but these answers will become clearer once the NHL draft and free agency are in the rear-view mirror. The potential addition of Toews as an unrestricted free agent could also factor into the decisions down the middle. 13. How does the way the Jets playoffs ended/went improve the chances of landing legit top 6 forwards or a top 4 D in the couple years going forward. Just the way they were able to beat St Louis in a Miraculous fashion, and the emotional connection to the end of the Jets season. MICHAEL MCINTYRE: From the way this city rallied around the Jets to the first-class treatment the organization showed its players, you'd have to think potential free agents in other markets at least took notice. And while I don't expect Winnipeg will ever hang with the likes of Florida and Vegas when it comes to attracting available athletes, I do believe the way this past season played out should at least help the cause. At the very least, joining the team that won the Presidents' Trophy and has its core mostly locked up, including the best goaltender on the planet, should be enticing to anyone in a 'win now' mode. And getting treated like royalty by ownership, management and fans alike has to be appealing when weighing various intangibles. 14. Any buzz/hype in the Jets org about Kieron Walton and Jacob Julien? Their stats look good, but are they AHL lifers? @ MCINTYRE: There's certainly excitement about these two prospects, who literally cast large shadows given their size (Walton is six-foot-six, 216 pounds, while Julien is six-foot-four and 190 pounds). Let's start with Julien, who is fresh off helping his hometown London Knights win the Memorial Cup. Although his personal stats dipped quite a bit this year — 11 goals and 43 assists during the season compared to 29 tallies and 49 helpers last year — Julien had a monster playoff performance which included 23 points (8G, 15A) in 22 games. He elevated his game on an incredibly deep team while also serving as an alternate captain. He'll turn 21 in September and make the jump to pro this fall. I fully expect that to be with the Manitoba Moose, but his development will be something to watch closely as I truly believe there could be an NHL player here down the road. Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press Files Jacob Julien (right) scored the go-ahead goal for the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final against the Medicine Hat Tigers last Sunday. Julien will most likely be on the Manitoba Moose roster in the upcoming 2025-26 season. Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press Files Jacob Julien (right) scored the go-ahead goal for the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final against the Medicine Hat Tigers last Sunday. Julien will most likely be on the Manitoba Moose roster in the upcoming 2025-26 season. The same goes for Walton, who just turned 19 and is expected to head back to the Sudbury Wolves for a fourth season this fall. He took a massive lead this past year, with 92 points in 66 games after putting up 43 in 65 contests a year earlier. The fact he did this on a team that was rather thin up front is even more impressive. Walton had five points (1G, 4A) in four playoff games as his team was swept in the first round, then made his pro debut with the Moose on an amateur tryout and recorded an assist in four AHL games. Julien (fifth round in 2023) and Walton (sixth round in 2024) both have the potential to be the kind of diamonds in the rough that good organizations often hit on during the draft. Questions about their skating/mobility likely caused them both to fall, so that will be something they'll have to continue to work on. But there's no doubt these two big men have a real nose for the net. X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Ken WiebeReporter Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer. Read full biography Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
