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Canada's dream of a fairytale run at the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts alongside the United States and Mexico suffered a significant blow when Bayern Munich confirmed that standout left back Alphonso Davies would be sidelined for "several weeks."
The German club broke the news on Friday morning, with TSN reporting that the absence could stretch four to five weeks. Alarm bells rang across Canada given that the Reds' World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 is just 35 days away—precisely five weeks.
Here's what the next 4-5 weeks (34 days) look like for Alphonso Davies & Canada before the 2026 World Cup, and some important dates in-between, including June friendlies vs. Uzbekistan and Ireland for the CanMNT 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/fbzcuoYmZn
The 25-year-old sustained a left hamstring strain during the Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, having entered the match in the 68th minute and registering an assist in a 1–1 draw that eliminated the Bundesliga champions from the competition.
"We are in close contact with Alphonso and remain in touch with Bayern's medical team following his recent setback," Canada Soccer said in a statement about the national team captain. "Our focus is on supporting his recovery and providing every available resource, including specialized soft tissue expertise, to give him the best possible pathway back to full fitness ahead of the FIFA World Cup."
Davies Injury Troubles Mount
Despite being in what should be the peak years of his career, Davies has been plagued by injuries over the past several seasons, reaching a critical level since May 2025, when he last featured for Canada.
The Edmonton-born player initially tore his ACL in a Concacaf Nations League clash against the United States, keeping him out for 260 days. He returned to Bayern on Dec. 8, only to suffer a torn muscle fiber in his right hamstring in late February.
After recovering from the right hamstring issue, he missed time between March 11 and April 2 due to another right hamstring problem, before sustaining the most recent injury to his left hamstring.
As a result of these setbacks, Davies has been absent for Canada's last 15 matches, representing his second extended spell away from the national team. Previously, he missed six games during 2022 World Cup qualifying while recovering from myocarditis, a condition involving inflammation of the heart.
Across his international career, he has appeared in 58 matches, contributing 15 goals and 18 assists, most memorably scoring Canada's first-ever World Cup goal against Croatia in Qatar. Canada holds a 20W-9D-12L record with him in the squad since his debut and a 20W-6D-10L mark without him.
Canada's Options in Davies' Absence
Losing Davies would be a serious blow to Canada, though not necessarily fatal to their World Cup ambitions, given the squad's growth since the 2022 World Cup and, more notably, since Jesse Marsch took charge in May 2024.
That said, the latest injury could still see Davies included in the 26-man World Cup roster, due to be announced by May 30, with the possibility of him making his tournament debut in the latter stages of Group B or during potential knockout rounds.
In his absence, Canada would likely turn to Toronto FC fullback Richie Laryea to fill the role after strong performances there throughout 2025, including a goalless draw against Colombia. Meanwhile, Norwich City's Ali Ahmed, Tigres UANL's Marcelo Flores, or Hull City's Liam Millar would slot into left midfield.
Laryea has been absent from Toronto's last three matches and is expected to be fully fit for the World Cup, while Ahmed is recovering after leaving Norwich City's Championship finale with an injury last weekend. Millar is preparing for the Championship playoffs with Hull, and Flores is gearing up for the Concacaf Champions Cup final with Tigres.
Beyond the left flank, Canada is also hopeful of having key striker Promise David available for the tournament, with reports suggesting the 6'5" Royal Union Saint Gilloise forward is ahead of schedule in his recovery from hip surgery. Additionally, key center back Moïse Bombito is targeting a return during pre-World Cup friendlies, having been sidelined since the fall with a broken leg.
How Far Can Canada Go Without Davies?
Given the extended period Davies has spent away from the national team, Canada has grown accustomed to operating without him on the left flank, meaning a deep World Cup run on home soil remains a realistic prospect even without his pace and technical ability.
Ranked No. 30, Canada will look to make a statement against No. 65-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, likely needing at least a point to remain in contention for top spot in Group B, before a near must-win encounter against No. 55 Qatar in Vancouver.
The hosts close out the group stage against No. 19-ranked Switzerland, aiming to top the group and remain in Vancouver for the round of 32 and, potentially, the round of 16.
Canada will hold a pre-World Cup training camp in Charlotte before heading to Edmonton and Montreal for warm-up friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland.