Stephen Afrifa to Join Canada Men's National Team
August 27, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City forward Stephen Afrifa has been selected to the Canada Men's National Team for two high-profile friendly matches against Concacaf rivals during the FIFA international window in September.
Afrifa and Canada will face the United States on Sept. 7 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, before meeting Mexico on Sept. 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 23-year-old winger is slated to represent his country for the first time after never previously earning a national team selection at the youth or senior levels.
Afrifa, who is tied for second on Sporting with five goals this season in all competitions, will join the Canadian squad early next week in Kansas City to train ahead of the friendly between Canada and the U.S. on Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. CT (tickets).
The 2024 season has seen Afrifa break through as a key contributor to Sporting's attack, tallying five goals and three assists in 22 appearances across all competitions. On May 21, he recorded his first goal and first assist for the club to pace a 4-0 victory over FC Tulsa in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Afrifa then scored three goals in the space of four MLS matches from June 15-29, finding the back of the net against LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Austin FC during the team's busy summer period.
Afrifa also made an impact in Leagues Cup 2024 with the match-winning assist in a 2-1 home triumph over Chicago Fire FC on July 28 and a brilliant long-range goal in a 2-1 home defeat to Deportivo Toluca FC on Aug 5. The Canadian is one of two Sporting players, alongside fellow forward William Agada, to score a goal in each of the club's three competitions this season: the MLS regular season, U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup.
In his rookie season with Sporting in 2023, Afrifa logged four appearances with the first team while also scoring once in nine MLS NEXT Pro matches with Sporting KC II.
Afrifa was taken eighth overall in MLS SuperDraft 2023 presented by adidas, joining the club as Sporting's highest draft pick since 2010. He enjoyed a standout four-year college career at Florida International, where he amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances from 2019-2022. Prior to competing at the NCAA level, the Toronto native played club soccer for Woodbridge SC Strikers in League1 Ontario.
Sporting's most important match of the season will take place tonight as the club hosts USL Championship side Indy Eleven in the U.S. Open Cup Semifinals at Children's Mercy Park. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT with tickets available at SeatGeek.com and live coverage on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. The winner will advance to the U.S. Open Cup Final in late September against either LAFC or Seattle Sounders FC, who will square off in the other semifinal on Wednesday. The 2024 Open Cup champion will receive $300,000 in prize money and a berth in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
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