The recent Canadian soccer spying scandal involving the use of a drone to spy on training sessions in Paris ahead of the Olympics has raised eyebrows, but it seems that the U.S. Soccer Federation was not entirely surprised by these tactics. According to ESPN’s Sam Borden, the U.S. Soccer Federation has been aware of Canada’s alleged spying tactics for some time, even when Canada attempted to spy on American teams. Despite this knowledge, the federation chose not to report it to any governing body, citing larger projects such as the joint bid with Mexico for the 2026 World Cup as a priority.
While the U.S. Soccer Federation did not report the spying incidents, there have been several instances in recent years where U.S. Soccer officials claim to have caught individuals spying on their practices. In 2021, security personnel found a man watching a closed men’s team practice at IMG Academy in Florida, who later admitted to working for Canada Soccer.
The spying saga continued in Paris earlier this month when a Canadian staffer was caught flying a drone over a New Zealand practice session. This led to the staffer being charged by French police and sent home from the Olympics, along with head coach Bev Priestman and another assistant. Priestman imposed a one-game suspension on herself before leaving, and assistant coach Andy Spence took over the coaching duties for the Canadian team.
Reports from TSN suggest that the spying activities have been ongoing for years, with allegations that the women’s team used drones to spy on opponents at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and during the 2022 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The men’s team was also accused of flying a drone over Honduras’ training session last year and attempting to do so before the Copa América earlier this summer.
Despite the controversy surrounding the spying scandal, the Canadian women’s team is set to face France next on Sunday afternoon and will wrap up their group play against Colombia next week. The repercussions of these spying incidents may have far-reaching consequences for both the Canadian and U.S. soccer federations as they navigate the fallout from these revelations.