Canada have kept Alphonso Davies in their final pre-World Cup training camp, even though his fitness is still a live issue. Canada will cut the 32-player group to a 26-man squad on Friday. Davies is there despite the uncertainty after a hamstring injury in Bayern München's Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris St-Germain on 6 May.
Davies has made only 13 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern this season, a reminder of how disrupted the campaign has been. Canada’s opening World Cup match is against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on 12 June, with Qatar on 18 June and Switzerland on 24 June to follow.
Why Canada are still backing Davies
Jesse Marsch said the mood in camp is steady rather than frantic. Speaking to BBC, he said: “These are the final days before we announce the squad that will represent Canada at a home World Cup, and the excitement in this group is real. We feel the momentum building across our country and we are calm, focused, and ready for this moment.”
That is a reasonable line from a coach trying to keep the group settled, but it does not remove the football question. Canada are clearly prepared to give Davies every chance, yet the brief does not support any certainty that he is ready for the opener. The more practical reading is that they are leaving the door open and making the final call late.
For Canada, that is sensible. Davies is too important to dismiss early, but the injury history around this camp means the staff have to judge the risk against the opening fixture and the rest of the group stage. If he is not cleared in time, the schedule still gives Canada later checkpoints, with Qatar on 18 June and Switzerland on 24 June.
The decision now is not about optimism. It is about whether Canada think Davies can be trusted in time for 12 June, or whether they need to hold him back and live with the consequences of that call.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
