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Canada are reportedly set to be without defender Alphonso Davies for their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup Group B game against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday (June 12).
Davies, 25, is coming off an injury-plagued campaign with Bayern Munich, scoring once and delivering four assists in 23 games across competitions, multiple muscle injuries cutting his game-time short.
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Appointed the captain of Canada by head coach Jesse Marsch, Davies has 15 goals and 18 assists in 58 games in senior international football. However, due to a series of injuries, he hasn’t played for the team since a 2-1 win over the USA in a third-place play-off game at the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in March 2025.
As per The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke, Davies is set to miss the Bosnia game, having not recovered fully from a hamstring injury sustained in Bayern’s UEFA Champions League semi-final loss to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
“We did an MRI with [Davies] yesterday,” Marsch said on Friday. “It showed very positive signs that he’s healing incredibly well, almost completely. We’re getting ready to ramp things up. I think that he’s showing, like he always has, a really good ability to recover from muscle injuries.”
As per reports, the Canada captain could also be unavailable for the second game against Qatar on June 18 in Vancouver. The final group fixture against Switzerland six days later seemingly looks like a realistic proposition for his return.
“This group is the best representation of the country” – Canada head coach ahead of FIFA World Cup opener
Canada head coach Jesse Marsch hailed the squad at his disposal for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of the opener against Bosnia & Herzegovina, who beat four-time champions Italy on penalties in the play-off final in March.
Appointed the head coach in March 2024, Marsch said that the selected players fit his vision of play and that he’s looking forward to the pressure of playing in front of a capacity crowd.
“This group is the best representation of the country,” Marsch said. “They’re impeccable in their character, they’re impeccable in their work ethic and commitment to each other.
“I came to Canada to be the coach, because I like these guys and I believe they can fit the way that I wanted to play, but I came here to lead them in the World Cup. … What a dream and responsibility — it’s pressure, but that’s what we want. I love sitting on that coach’s box, when the stadium’s full and the pressure’s on, and everybody thinks you’re an idiot.”
Four years ago – on their return to the FIFA World Cup after 36 years – Canada lost all three group games to finish bottom of their group but are expected to fare better at home this time.
Edited by Bhargav
