Sporting KC’s Afrifa could make international debut for Canada at Children’s Mercy Park
After a breakout season with Sporting KC, forward Stephen Afrifa has been tapped to represent his country — with a potential debut at Children’s Mercy Park.
The Canada Men’s National Team released its roster for a pair of friendlies at the beginning of September. One of them is a higher-profile matchup with the United States Men’s National Team in Kansas City on September 7.
“This is something I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid,” Afrifa told reporters on Monday. “I’m excited to get the opportunity.”
The Canadian roster will be mostly similar to the one that defeated Peru at Children’s Mercy Park in June during the Copa America. Afrifa will join global superstar Alphonso Davies and Canada standouts Moise Bombito, Alistair Johnston, Stephen Eustáquio and Jonathan David.
Afrifa has looked up to players like Davies and Tajon Buchanan (who is out after a leg injury sustained during the Copa America run). Afrifra said he’s looking forward to being teammates with them and seeing them up close in training.
He earned that opportunity with stellar play this summer.
Originally drafted with the No. 8 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, Afrifa spent most of his first season with Sporting KC II. After a preseason that turned some heads of the staff, Afrifa didn’t start the season out as strong as they’d hoped.
But this summer, he turned a corner. His goal and assist in Sporting KC’s 4-0 Round of 16 win over FC Tulsa in the U.S. Open Cup marked his first involvement on the score sheet. He scored his first goal in MLS play in early June to kick off a stretch of three goals in four games.
In total, Afrifa has five goals and three assists in less than 1,000 minutes in all competitions in 2024.
Afrifa was signed in April last year after choosing to finish out the remainder of his senior year at Florida International University. It’s been a quick rise to earn a national team call-up, one that even surprised him.
“I have my goals,” Afrifa said. “I always said to myself, ‘(World Cup) 2026, I’ll make sure I’m there.’ But obviously, getting in now, it’s a great opportunity to build on that, getting to show them what I can do.”
Canada will also face Mexico at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on September 10 as part of the international window.
The friendly between the United States and Canada was initially scheduled for 6 p.m. Central but was changed to 3 p.m. on Sept. 7. That change is a welcome one for fans in Kansas City, as the KC Current plays a home match at CPKC Stadium scheduled for the same night at 6:30 p.m. Central, while Sporting KC plays at the New York Red Bulls at 6:30 p.m. as well.
The friendly will cap a busy summer of soccer in Kansas City. Thirty-eight games of interest — meaning a Sporting KC or KC Current match or international match staged in Kansas City — will have taken place between June 8 to Sept. 7.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.