Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will kick off its 2025 Pacific Nations Cup campaign—and begin its quest to qualify for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup—against long-time rivals the United States on Friday, August 22 in Calgary.
The match will be played at McMahon Stadium at 7:00 p.m. MT, marking the team’s first game in Calgary since 2017. It’s also the third of three matches the national side will play in Alberta this summer, following two in Edmonton. This game will also be the second Canada vs. USA rugby match on home soil in 2025, following the women’s clash in Ottawa.
The Pacific Nations Cup is a key qualification event for the Rugby World Cup. The top three teams—excluding already-qualified Fiji and Japan—will book their spots in the 2027 tournament. The team finishing last will still have a chance to qualify through a South America/Pacific play-off.
This is the second edition of the restructured Pacific Nations Cup. Canada last played in the tournament in 2024, suffering a 28-15 loss to the USA in Los Angeles. The rivalry is one of the most frequent in Canadian rugby history, with Canada seeking its first win over the Americans since 2021.
Head Coach Stephen Meehan emphasized the importance of all three Alberta matches, calling the upcoming clash in Calgary a vital moment for the team. “The response from the players has been brilliant,” Meehan said. “They are eager to get stuck in and to be playing such an important match in front of a home crowd.”
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek expressed pride in hosting the match. “Rugby is about heart, hustle, and community – something that resonates with who we are as a city,” she said.
Tourism Calgary and Rugby Alberta echoed the excitement. Carson Ackroyd of Tourism Calgary expects strong local and international interest, while Rugby Alberta President Chris Cooke called on fans to fill McMahon Stadium with red and white to support the national team.
Rugby Canada thanked Tourism Calgary and the City of Calgary for helping bring the tournament to Alberta, marking a major step in Canada’s World Cup journey.
Related topics:
