Bayern Munich’s star player, Alphonso Davies, will captain the co-host nation Canada’s squad at the Football World Cup, despite his current injury. Head coach Jesse Marsch included the left-back in his 26-player roster for the tournament as expected. However, it remains uncertain when the player, who is recovering from a thigh injury, will be able to participate.
«I don’t think he will be quite ready by June 12th, but we will see,» Marsch recently stated. The Canadian Soccer Association provided no new information regarding Davies’ condition at the squad announcement.
Canada is set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening match in Group B on June 12th in Toronto. They will then play Qatar in Vancouver on June 18th and Switzerland on June 24th. Prior to the tournament, Canada will play friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Edmonton on Monday and Ireland in Montreal on Friday.
Davies, who sustained his injury on May 6th during Bayern’s Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain and has not played for his national team since March 2025, has recently been undergoing rehabilitation in Europe. He is expected to join the team in Edmonton on Sunday.
American coach Marsch, who had a brief and unsuccessful tenure as coach of RB Leipzig in 2021, is also relying heavily on creative stars Jonathan David (Juventus Turin) and Ismael Koné (Sassuolo Calcio). The squad also features a mix of young and experienced professionals, primarily playing for clubs in Major League Soccer or in Europe. «These players reflect the diversity of the communities, cultures, and paths that shape this country. They are determined, fearless, and proud to wear Canada on their chest,» Marsch said.
This marks Canada’s third appearance in a World Cup finals tournament. In 1986 and 2022, the Canadians were eliminated after losing all three of their group stage matches.