Canada is one of four teams competing in Moncton for a chance to secure a spot in the 2028 Olympic men’s volleyball tournament in Los Angeles, representing the region that includes North and Central America and the Caribbean. The single-elimination bracket kicks off with Canada playing against Mexico today at 3:30 p.m. ET. Following that, Cuba will face the Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. ET, with the winners set to compete for the Olympic berth on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. Viewers can catch all the matches live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website.
Among the four teams, Canada holds the highest ranking at No. 13 globally, with Cuba following at No. 16, Mexico at No. 23, and the Dominican Republic at No. 45. In a recent regional championship tournament in Moncton, Canada defeated Mexico and Cuba in straight sets but fell short against the United States in the final. The U.S. did not need to participate in the Olympic qualifier as they have an automatic spot as the host nation. Additionally, the U.S., Canada, and Cuba have also secured spots in next year’s men’s Volleyball World Cup.
In another sporting event, the Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team achieved a remarkable upset by defeating the reigning world and Paralympic champion Netherlands with a score of 85-73 in the semifinals of the world championship in Ottawa. The team will now face the United States in the gold-medal match on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET. This victory marks Canada’s first medal at the world championship since the women’s team won gold in 2014. On the men’s side, Canada finished in fourth place at the 2024 Paralympic Games and has not secured a Paralympic medal since winning gold in 2012.
In tennis, Canada is set to compete against France in a Davis Cup qualifier in Quebec City, with the winner securing a place in the Davis Cup Finals. The competition features top Canadian player Felix Auger-Aliassime, who will play singles matches and team up for the doubles match. Despite missing key players like Denis Shapovalov and Gabriel Diallo, Canada remains optimistic with Auger-Aliassime leading the charge. The Davis Cup Finals are scheduled for late November in Italy.
Additionally, other exciting sporting events to watch include the Canadian women’s rugby team facing World Cup champion England, the road cycling world championships in Montreal, and the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen with Canadian athletes set to compete in various events. Fans can catch all the action live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/the-buzzer-newsletter-canada-volleyball-sept18-9.7350149)
