3 Players Jesse Marsch Must Call Up for Canada’s March Roster

Canada’s roster for March’s international window will be announced on Thursday morning.

Jesse Marsch (center) has some big decisions to make for the Canada men's national team. | Jesse Marsch - Canada vs. Colombia

The 2026 World Cup is fast approaching, and most teams have just three to four friendlies to play before kicking off the summer showcase in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For the host nations—who automatically qualified for the tournament—these final matches are vital to preparations and roster decisions. 

Yet for manager Jesse Marsch and Canada’s men’s national team, injuries are playing a key role. For the March friendlies in Toronto against Iceland and World Cup-qualified Tunisia, Canada will miss left back Alphonso Davies, striker Promise David, and right back Alistair Johnston, among others, many of whom were at one point considered locks to start at the tournament. 

With as many as 30 players potentially coming into the March camp, Sports Illustrated looks at three players Marsch needs to call-up and consider, as injuries loom and adjustments become pertinent ahead of naming his 26-man roster this summer. 

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Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL)

Marcelo Flores is set to earn his first cap for the Canada men’s national team. | Luis Cano Jam Media/Getty Images

Having recently filed his one-time switch from Mexico and, with that, ending a years-long dual -national saga, Marcelo Flores looks to make an impact in his first full Canada national team camp, whether as a striker or a wide midfielder. 

He previously served as a training player in Canada’s November camp. He was expected to be a part of the unofficial January camp before pulling out at the last minute due to ongoing eligibility concerns. Now, however, he’s ready — and he’s a must-call for this month’s camp, as a potential World Cup star. 

The 22 year old is still developing, in the early stages of his career; however, his combination of pace and technical ability makes him a versatile choice for Canada’s wide range of opponents. Canada is lined up against Qatar and Switzerland at the World Cup, following a potential opening clash against Italy, should the Azzurri qualify. 

Flores has become a fringe regular for Tigres in Liga MX this season, amassing 452 minutes across six starts and seven games, while netting three goals. Seeing him test his qualities against strong, albeit lesser competition this month, could be the final indicator of whether he’s ready to take on the World Cup challenge. 

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Aribim Pepple (Plymouth Argyle)

Aribim Pepple has 10 goals in 11 matches with Plymouth Argyle. | IMAGO / PPAUK

One of the most interesting names to pop up for Canada in the lead-up to the World Cup, Aribim Pepple is the nation’s most in-form attacker and one that, at the very least, deserves a look in an expanded camp. 

Still just 23, Pepple moved to Europe after a standout tenure with the Canadian Premier League’s Cavalry FC, first joining Luton Town before their demotion from the Premier League. After struggling to find minutes there, he moved across the United Kingdom to Grimsby Town, then to Bromley, then to a few more spots before landing at Plymouth Argyle in the third tier. 

With Plymouth, he’s been a revelation. He has 14 goals this season, 10 of which have come in the last 11 games, scoring freely in a way few other players are at any level. His goals have Plymouth on the fringes of the promotion playoffs for the English Championship. 

Without Promise David in the picture, getting a look at Pepple as an in-form goalscorer, even just in training, has little to no downside.

“I just want to continue it,” Pepple told the Canadian Premier League last month. “But it's really a nice club to do that. It’s the biggest fan base I’ve played in front of, like 16,000 to 17,000 every game. We still want to get up and get promoted back to the Championship. So it's a big club, and it’s enjoyable to play week in, week out.”

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Ralph Priso (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Ralph Priso impressed at center back for Canada in a Tier-2 January friendly against Guatemala. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Before the tail end of the 2025 MLS regular season with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Ralph Priso had never played center back. Less than six months later, there’s a realistic possibility that he starts a match at the heart of defense for Canada at the World Cup on home soil. 

While Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Alfie Jones and Luc De Fougerolles are all hopeful to be fit for the summer and likely locks for the roster, it’s Priso who is standing as a potential next option, alongside the also healthy Joel Waterman of the Chicago Fire. 

The 23-year-old has been playing alongside 2025 MLS Defender of the Year and USMNT-capped defender, Tristan Blackmon, with the Whitecaps this season. His pace, consistency and physical awareness stand out, seldom aspects that highlight a player relatively new to a tactically complicated position. 

A former midfielder, Priso turned heads in Canada’s 1–0 unofficial friendly win over Guatemala in January, sparking the possibility of World Cup involvement. For him to get there, he will need to be in this camp and likely beat out Portland Timbers’ Kamal Miller, a mainstay on Canada’s 2022 World Cup squad, as well as 21-year-old Jamie Knight-Lebel, who is currently playing for Swindon Town in the English fourth tier. 

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