Les Girondins beat Lyon on penalties in last season's campaign curtain-raiser and they are heavy favourites to successfully defend their title.

The Ligue 1 champions showed they are in decent shape by beating big-spending Marseille 2-1 in a friendly earlier this week, and they will take a full squad to Canada.

It will include striker Marouane Chamakh, who wants to leave Bordeaux for England but is yet to find a club.

Les Girondins coach Laurent Blanc, who has signed goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso and Jaroslav Plasil this summer, has mixed feelings about the decision to stage the match abroad.

"The idea is original, I'm quite happy to go and introduce Ligue 1 elsewhere, in a French-speaking country," he said.

"On the other hand, we are in a period of full preparation (for the league season) and we will have jet lag and be playing on a (synthetic) surface we aren't used to."

Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra said: "It is a chance to start the season on a good footing."

Guingamp, who defeated Brittany rivals Rennes 2-1 in last season's Coupe de France final, have taken an 18-man party across the Atlantic.

Recent signings Alharbi El Jadeyaoui and Sebastien Grax make the squad but Francois Bellugou is out injured while Christian Bassila and Felipe Saad will be missing because of suspension.