Concacaf announced it has initiated disciplinary proceedings to investigate Canada Soccer and Canada’s men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch over the possibility that the federation and Marsch “disregarded regulations applicable to suspended match officials and used offensive language toward Concacaf match officials.”
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Concacaf said the incidents in question occurred during Canada’s 6-0 win over Honduras in their Gold Cup opening match on Tuesday night. The confederation said its Disciplinary Committee will review all available evidence.
Marsch was not on the sidelines for Canada’s win, as he was suspended for two Concacaf matches following his red card in Canada’s third-place match of the Nations League finals against the U.S. in March. Marsch is eligible to return for Canada’s third Gold Cup group stage game, against El Salvador on June 24.
The Athletic is awaiting comment from Canada Soccer.
Marsch is no stranger to possible controversy with Concacaf.
Ahead of the Nations League third-place match, Marsch said his Canada team has felt “disrespect for a long time” when playing in games with Concacaf officiating, only to then take issue with calls against the U.S. to the point he was ejected and suspended.
Earlier this month, Marsch told reporters that multiple Canada and Vancouver Whitecaps players were “poisoned” on Concacaf’s watch while they were in Mexico for the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
“It’s for me, appalling that this is the second year in a row that Concacaf and the powers that be have allowed an MLS team to go down to Mexico for a big final and get poisoned,” Marsch said. “It’s ridiculous. Something has to be done to protect these environments.”
Marsch also questioned why Concacaf required him to name his Gold Cup squad ahead of Canada’s June friendlies against Ukraine and Ivory Coast.
Ahead of Canada’s win over Honduras, Concacaf president (and former Canada Soccer president) Victor Montagliani addressed some of Marsch’s recent concerns, telling TSN/OneSoccer: “Coaches all motivate their teams in different ways. The reality is Concacaf puts a lot of effort and money, this field (BC Place) is magnificent as you can see. (The grass pitch upgrades) cost us a million dollars. They fly charter, they star in five-star hotels. Listen, if I had to worry about every time a coach had to say something, then I probably wouldn’t be doing my job.”
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Without Marsch on the bench, Canada dominated Honduras in their Gold Cup opener with its most lopsided win since 2021, getting goals from five players. Canada achieved the result despite being without a number of expected 2026 World Cup starters, such as Alphonso Davies, Moïse Bombito, Alistair Johnston and Stephen Eustáquio.
Canada, with assistant coach Mauro Biello at the helm again, will resume Gold Cup group play Saturday night against Curaçao.
(Top photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)