Tim Bezbatchenko send two text messages following the announcement that Canada, the United States and Mexico would co-host the 2026 World Cup.

The first was congratulating the group involved with the successful United 2026 bid.

The second message from the Toronto FC general manager went to coach Greg Vanney, assistant academy director Anthony Capotosto and a couple of people in the soccer operations department, about the Reds’ current prospects.

“I said: These kids just won the lottery. Now they just need to buy their ticket,” Bezbatchenko recalled.

The Canadian men’s national team is ranked 79th in the world by FIFA, and the average age of the 41 players listed on Canada Soccer’s website is 25.4 years old. In eight years, when the World Cup hits Canadian soil, that group will average 33 years old. By comparison, the average ages of teams competing now in Russia range from about 26 to 29.

That’s why Bezbatchenko is excited for the under-12 to under-17 groups in Toronto’s academy. Those players will be 20 to 25 come 2026, ready to complement those in Canada’s current program who should be seasoned veterans by then.

“Right now, we have the players,” Bezbatchenko said. “It’s really interesting to think about. The players on that team (in 2026) are already in the academy. You know Johnny on U14 who’s performing well? If he works hard and is dedicated and we teach him the right things and give him the best environment for him to improve, he’ll be a player for Canada. This is a critical moment.”

It’s up to the players to show up every day, work hard and improve, Bezbatchenko said. On the club side, it’s up to Toronto FC to provide top competition.

“There’s a common saying that’s been going around the GMs of Major League Soccer, that you’ve got to get the best with the best against the best,” Bezbatchenko said.

The Reds officially joined the U.S. Soccer Development Academy this month. Founded in 2007 with the intent to maximize player development, it’s made up of 197 member clubs. TFC was the last of the 23 MLS academies to join, and the 25- to 30-game season runs from September to June. The Reds will field three teams: under 15, under 17 and under 19.

It allows TFC academy players to face the best of the rest in North America on a weekly basis, Bezbatchenko said. Extensive travel was one of the reasons why the Reds hadn’t joined till now. The GM says there are now enough regional teams to reduce travel and make it more affordable, though he still described the cost commitment as “massive.”

“We’re really excited about it and we really think it’s going to catapult our players in terms of their development,” Bezbatchenko said. “It also sets them apart in terms of what we’re doing compared to most clubs in North America. It’s very hard to get into the USSDA. There’s no other club in Ontario who’s doing that, and even if you don’t turn pro you’re going to be seen by all the colleges and universities in Canada and the United States.”

Bezbatchenko added that has already spoken to Vanney and Capotosto about setting up a meeting with players to discuss the opportunity that the 2026 World Cup will provide.

“That messaging has to be pushed down or we’re not doing our jobs, because it’s about how (players are) being motivated to work harder, to be more dedicated, to put more time into it so they can realize their potential,” he said. “If it takes the carrot of the World Cup, then let’s use it.”

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There is another World Cup in play, in Qatar in 2022. Bezbatchenko said he hasn’t lost sight of that and TFC is working with national team coach John Herdman and the Canadian Soccer Association more than ever to help Canada make the field in four years’ time.

“Our goal in Canada shouldn’t necessarily be 2026. It should be 2022,” Bezbatchenko said. “With group of players that are being developed in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto as well as the clubs across Ontario and the country, we have the talent to qualify.”