NSL MVP Pridham earns first call-up as CanWNT names squad for Japan friendlies

The Canadian women's national team announced the 23-player squad for their final camp of 2025, which includes a pair of friendlies against Japan. 

Canada, ranked ninth in the world, first meet the eighth-ranked Japanese in Nagasaki on Nov. 29 (1:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 p.m. PT -- Nov. 28), before a second match on Dec. 2 in Ishahaya (12:00 a.m. ET / 9:00 p.m. PT -- Dec. 1). Both of those matches will be available live on OneSoccer. 

Canadian head coach Casey Stoney is unavailable for this camp due to personal family matters. In her place, assistant coach Natalie Henderson will lead the team, while Jen Herst has been added to the staff fresh off a solid tournament coaching Canada at the U-17 Women's World Cup. 

Fresh off an outstanding first campaign in the NSL, where she won the league's Player of the Year award and finished with a league-leading 18 goals, 28-year-old Ottawa Rapid forward DB Pridham earned her first CanWNT call-up.

In terms of other changes from the group in November that lost 1-0 to both the Netherlands and Switzerland, Bayern Munich's Vanessa Gilles and Manchester United's Simi Awujo are also back with the squad.

Gabrielle Carle misses out on this camp through injury, while Kaylee Hunter, who was initially part of the squad last window before withdrawing due to injury, was not recalled. Attacker Olivia Amith and Central defender Zara Chavoshi are also not part of the group. 

Kadeisha Buchanan and Lysianne Proulx were unavailable through injury, while Kayla Briggs and Annabelle Chukwu remain with their NCAA teams through a mutual agreement. 

Canada and Japan have previously played 16 times at the senior international level, with Japan holding an 8-4-4 record against the Canadians. 

Here is the full 23-player squad: 

GK - Emily Burns (FC Nantes / FRA)
GK - Sabrina D'Angelo (Aston Villa / ENG) 
GK - Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave / USA) 
DF - Sydney Collins (Bay FC / USA)
DF - Vanessa Gilles (FC Bayern Munich / GER)
DF - Ashley Lawrence (Olympique Lyonnais / FRA) 
DF - Marie Levassuer (Montpellier HSC / FRA) 
DF - Jayde Rivière (Manchester United / ENG)
DF - Jade Rose (Manchester City / ENG) 
DF - Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham / ENG) 
MF - Marie-Yasmine Alidou (Portland Thorns / USA)
MF - Simi Awujo (Manchester United / ENG) 
MF - Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns / USA)
MF - Julia Grosso (Chicago Stars / USA)
MF - Florianne Jourde (Paris Saint-Germain / FRA)
MF - Emma Regan (AFC Toronto / CAN) 
FW - Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign / USA) 
FW - Adriana Leon (San Diego Waves FC / USA) 
FW - DB Pridham (Ottawa Rapid / CAN) 
FW - Nichelle Prince (Kansas City Current / USA) 
FW - Janine Sonis (Racing Louisville / USA) 
FW - Evelyne Viens (AS Roma / ITA) 
FW - Holly Ward (Vancouver Rise / CAN)