Davies not 100% fit as Canada star faces race to feature at home World Cup

Alphonso Davies will not feature in Canada’s opening 2026 World Cup group game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, with coach Jesse Marsch confirming the Bayern Munich left-back is still not at full fitness after a disrupted season.

Davies, 25, has endured a punishing run of injuries over the past year. He tore a cruciate ligament in March 2025, sidelining him for nine months, before a hamstring injury in February kept him out for a further month. He returned to action in April, featuring in the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal, only to pick up another injury in May.

Despite those setbacks, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch included Davies in his squad, hoping the left-back would recover in time to contribute during the group stage. Speaking on Thursday, Marsch said Davies had undergone an MRI scan and is “healing incredibly well, but not at 100 per cent just yet”.

Davies has been involved in training, with the Canadian medical staff monitoring his progress closely. The expectation is that he could be fit enough to play a part in Canada’s second Group B fixture against Qatar on Thursday, 18 June.

The stakes are significant for the host nation. This is Canada’s third appearance at a men’s World Cup, and they are yet to earn a single point in the competition. Their previous outings — at Mexico 1986 and Qatar 2022 — both ended with three group-stage defeats and an early exit.

Davies remains Canada’s most recognisable player by some distance, and his ability to contribute, even in a limited capacity, could prove decisive in a group that also includes Belgium. For now, Marsch and his medical staff will manage the situation carefully, with the priority being to have their star player available and effective as the tournament progresses.