Goalkeeper Léa Palacio and forward Esther Brossard will lead Canada at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup later this month in the Philippines.

The 16-team tournament runs Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 in Pasig City, Metropolitan Manila, with Canada drawn in a challenging Group B alongside Spain, Thailand and Colombia.

Spain has won all three editions of the UEFA Women’s Futsal Championship while Thailand was runner-up at the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup in May. Colombia finished third at the CONMEBOL Championship in March.

But Canada turned heads by winning the first-ever CONCACAF W Futsal Championship in dramatic fashion earlier this year in Guatemala.

Canada booked its ticket to the World Cup by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout to reach the final of the eight-team event in Guatema

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