Niko Sigur Switches International Allegiance to Canada

Midfielder Niko Sigur has officially filed a one-time switch to change his international eligibility from Croatia to Canada.

Sigur, who is 20 years old, was born in Burnaby, British Columbia. He initially chose to represent Croatia in May 2023, despite being courted by then-head coach John Herdman for Canada.

In his statement, Sigur expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Croatia, stating, «It was an honour to represent Croatia, which is a football superpower and which is my family’s homeland.» However, he also mentioned a desire to represent Canada, the country where he grew up and began his football career.

Sigur developed his skills at the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy and contributed to the team’s success in winning the USSDA Northwest Division championship in 2018. He later played for York University and the semi-professional Vaughan Azzurri before moving to Slovenia.

Having played the last two seasons with Hajduk Split in Croatia, Sigur has made nine appearances for Croatia’s Under-21 team.

Sigur’s application to switch his eligibility means he will now be available for selection in Canada’s upcoming friendlies against the United States and another opponent on September 7 and 10, although he is currently nursing a minor injury.

Multiple sources have reported that Canada is aiming for the October international window for Sigur to make his debut. Canada Soccer will host a friendly against Panama on October 15 in Toronto.

Playing in these friendly matches would not cap-tie Sigur, as he would only be committed to Canada if he played in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals in November.

Previously, while coach John Herdman was encouraging Sigur to play for Canada, he made the decision to commit to Croatia. Sigur had stated that Croatia is his family’s homeland, which influenced his initial choice.

Since then, he has made nine appearances for Croatia’s Under-21s, including all three matches during the 2023 UEFA Under-21 Championship. However, Croatia has left him off their squad for the upcoming Nations League matches in September, which is believed to have contributed to Sigur’s decision to apply for the switch.

With 49 appearances for Hajduk Split, including three in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers, Sigur’s experience continues to grow.

After joining the Vancouver Whitecaps academy in 2018, he transferred to Ontario in 2021 to play for Vaughan Azzurri and spent a season at York University, where he learned under respected coach Carmine Isacco.

Sigur’s switch to Canada enhances a midfield already led by prominent players, although immediate competition for a starting spot may be challenging. However, continued development in Croatia could improve his chances ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Head coach Jesse Marsch has emphasized the importance of adding dual nationals and young players to the team, building on recent successes.