Chicago Fire FC and Canada Soccer announced on May 29 that defender Joel Waterman has been selected for the Canada Men’s National Team roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Waterman is the seventh player to be named to a World Cup roster as an active member of Chicago Fire FC. Previous players include Jorge Campos (1998), Josh Wolff and DaMarcus Beasley (2002), Xherdan Shaqiri (2022), and Chris Brady and Mbekezeli Mbokazi (2026). This marks Waterman’s second appearance at a FIFA World Cup after being part of Canada’s squad in Qatar in 2022. He is also the first player named to a Canada World Cup roster while actively playing for Chicago Fire FC.
Canada was drawn into Group B alongside Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland. The team will play all three group-stage matches in Canada: against Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto; against Qatar on June 18 at BC Place in Vancouver; and against Switzerland on June 24 at BC Place. Prior to the tournament, pre-tournament send-off matches are scheduled against Uzbekistan on June 1 in Edmonton and against the Republic of Ireland on June 5 in Montréal.
Since joining Chicago Fire FC from CF Montréal in August 2025, Waterman has played in 21 matches across all competitions, including helping solidify a defense that contributed to Chicago qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. Waterman has earned 17 caps with Canada’s national team, participating most recently in the undefeated Group B run during the Concacaf Gold Cup. He was also included on rosters for Copa America (2024) and previous FIFA World Cups.
Chicago Fire FC competes professionally within Major League Soccer conferences, with its home games held at Soldier Field stadium. The club supports soccer growth throughout the Midwest region through community initiatives, youth development programs, and engagement activities inspired by its crest reflecting the Great Chicago Fire, according to the official website.
