sports
January 14, 2026
Canada’s ‘Camp Poutine’ kickstarts a World Cup year with a long-term eye
A January camp for domestic players allows Jesse Marsch to boost a development system that will outlast his tenure
TL;DR
- Jesse Marsch, head coach of the Canadian men's national team, is focused on making the team truly national by visiting various cities for training camps and coaching clinics.
- Marsch held a training camp in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which was the first time the men's national team visited the province.
- Tiago Coimbra, a 21-year-old striker, is one of the promising domestic players Marsch is developing, earning a call-up to a January camp in California.
- The January camp, nicknamed 'Camp Poutine,' falls outside official FIFA windows and focuses on testing young, domestic talents.
- Marsch believes in a responsibility to the nation to help the sport grow and is actively involved in player development and league growth, including the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
- Marsch uses his European connections to help players find new clubs and challenges, acting in ways beyond a typical international manager role.
- The article suggests that Coimbra might earn his first senior cap for Canada in an upcoming friendly against Guatemala.
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