Canada’s World Cup preparations have suffered a major setback after Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies was ruled unlikely to feature in the country’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury.
The Canadian captain is currently recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain on May 6.
Following the injury, Bayern confirmed the defender would be sidelined for “several weeks,” raising immediate concerns about his availability for the tournament.
Despite the setback, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch remains hopeful that the 25-year-old defender will recover in time to play later in the competition.
Speaking ahead of Canada’s World Cup preparations, Marsch admitted Davies is unlikely to be fully fit for the opening fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto.
“I think Alphonso will play in the World Cup,” Marsch said.
“I don’t think he’ll be quite ready on June 12… but we’ll see.”
The update has left many Canadian fans anxious, considering Davies remains one of the team’s most important players and biggest global football stars.
Canada will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in their first match before facing Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24 in Vancouver.
Davies has struggled with injuries over the past year and endured another frustrating campaign at Bayern Munich, making only 13 Bundesliga appearances throughout the season.
The pacey full-back has battled multiple fitness problems recently, including a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered while representing Canada against the United States in March last year.
He also missed Canada’s March 2026 international friendlies against Iceland and Tunisia because of another hamstring issue.
Still, Marsch included Davies in Canada’s 32-man preliminary squad for the tournament, although the Bayern defender is only expected to join the team shortly before their friendly against Uzbekistan on June 1.
Canada will also face the Republic of Ireland in another warm-up game on June 5 as preparations intensify for the biggest football tournament in the world.
Davies remains a key figure in Canadian football history after becoming one of the country’s brightest talents and scoring Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal during the 2022 tournament in Qatar against Croatia.
Fans will now be hoping the Bayern Munich defender recovers quickly and returns in time to help Canada make a strong impact on home soil.
Source: BBC Sport
