Canada, one of the host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be among the first teams to make their tournament debut when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto. That early opener has created some uncertainty for their plans, as Alphonso Davies‘ availability remains in question.
“The first game is coming up pretty quickly. I think we understand how important the first game is. But we understand recovery is always an important thing,” the left back said during a press conference this week alongside head coach Jesse Marsch.
The defender is currently recovering from a hamstring injury suffered on May 6 during a match against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League semifinals. The initial recovery timeline was five weeks, meaning his potential return would come almost exactly in time for the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“If I’m recovering as good as possible, let’s see. If not, then there’s no need to rush, just keep continuing the recovery,” Davies said before expressing optimism about his chances of being available for the opener. “Anything is possible in life. For me, it all depends on how the recovery is going, how these next few days, this week, leading up to the game goes.”
Canada left-back Alphonso Davies.
Alphonso Davies has struggled with injuries in recent months
The attention surrounding Alphonso Davies is understandable. He is Canada‘s most important player, given his experience and success in Europe with Bayern Munich. However, recurring fitness issues have limited his availability in recent months.
see also
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announces new national anthem protocol for 2026 World Cup
Head coach Jesse Marsch took over in May 2024, and since then there have been more matches without Davies than with him. The defender appeared in 11 games, including Canada’s entire run at the 2024 Copa America, but missed 18 others. In fact, he has not played an international match since March 2025.
Regardless of whether he is available for the World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alphonso Davies is expected to be fully fit for Canada’s next two matches, in which they will battle for a place in the Round of 32. They will face Qatar on June 18 before taking on Switzerland six days later to conclude their Group B campaign.
