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TORONTO — Canada has restored its roster to a full 26 players for the 2026 World Cup, adding winger Jayden Nelson as a replacement for the injured Marcelo Flores ahead of Friday's opening fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 23-year-old told Sports Illustrated that "it was a relief" to earn a spot on the squad, becoming one of the rare players to break into a co-hosting World Cup roster just days before the tournament began—more than a week after enduring the disappointment of being told he hadn't made the cut.
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A Brampton native, Nelson had been part of the Canadian camp from the outset when the group gathered in Charlotte, N.C. at the end of May. Head coach Jesse Marsch indicated he wouldn't be among the final 26, though he was considered a borderline candidate within the 32-man camp as Canada managed a string of injuries.
He stayed with the group through friendlies in Edmonton and Montréal, netting in a 2–0 victory over Uzbekistan and turning heads in a 1–1 draw with Ireland. Marsch, playing his cards close to his chest, commended Nelson following both outings but didn't inform him of his promotion until the weekend—with the announcement made official on Monday.
"I had a belief and faith in myself that even if he said I wasn't going, I still believed that I was gonna make the squad, somehow," Nelson said. "I treated every session, every fitness test as my last game or camp, and that was the mindset coming into it...to try to create a new reputation every time I stepped on the field."
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A World Cup at Home
Canada arrived at the Toronto FC training facility escorted by 22 police cars and motorcycles, aboard a bus wrapped in FIFA World Cup branding. For Nelson—who came through the Toronto FC academy alongside five other members of Canada's squad and spent three seasons with the MLS club—it was a striking contrast to the days he used to drive or take the train to those same training grounds as a youngster.
The buildings are draped in FIFA branding and advertising boards from international companies line the pitch, yet for a player who grew up at this facility, the full weight of the moment hasn't quite sunk in—"No, not for me," he admitted.
First Game in Front of Grandpa
Nelson's inclusion wasn't made public until Tuesday, but he hadn't kept it to himself. After Marsch delivered the news, he immediately called his grandfather, Owen Campbell.
"He was emotional, and he's not an emotional guy," Nelson said. "He knows that there's a lot of work put into this... he's the one that started everything."
Despite his extensive MLS experience and stints in the lower divisions of Norway and Germany, Nelson has never played a professional match in front of his grandfather. On Friday, that could finally change—on the very pitch where he made his professional debut, following a week of training at the facility that served as his second home growing up.
While Nelson is unlikely to start for Canada this summer, he represents a potential wildcard. His pace fits naturally into Marsch's high-pressing system, and he offers genuine impact off the bench. Hull City's Liam Millar and Norwich City's Ali Ahmed remain ahead of him on the left-side depth chart, but neither possesses the dribbling ability Nelson can bring in the closing stages.
Injury Updates
Canada will likely call upon Nelson at some stage, even as the third option on the left flank. On Tuesday, center back Moïse Bombito—previously reported to have been cut from the roster—participated in modified training, while star left back Alphonso Davies continued a return-to-play program alongside center back Ralph Priso, who would likely step into Bombito's role if the speedy defender's recovery from a broken leg hasn't progressed sufficiently.
Marsch pushed back on reports Sunday, stating the team would give Bombito "up to the last minute" to prove his fitness, and that Priso's return-to-play protocols are purely precautionary. Canada's finalized squad must be submitted by 2:59 pm ET on Thursday, 24 hours before their opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina.