Alphonso Davies’s World Cup in Jeopardy—How Could Canada Fare Without Captain?

The Canada captain has not played for the national team since May 2025 due to various setbacks.

Alphonso Davies may not be an impact player at the 2026 World Cup. | Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images

Canada’s hopes of a Cinderella run at the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts alongside the United States and Mexico took a major hit when Bayern Munich announced that star left back Alphonso Davies would be out for “several weeks.”

The German giants dropped the news on Friday morning, with TSN reporting further that the timeline could be four to five weeks. Panic alarms sounded throughout Canada considering the Reds’World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 sits 35 days away—exactly 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

— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 8, 2026

The 25-year-old suffered a left hamstring strain in the Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, after coming into the match in the 68th minute and picking up an assist in what ended in a 1–1 draw, knocking he Bundesliga champions out of the competition.

“We are in close contact with Alphonso and remain in touch with Bayern’s medical team following his recent setback,” Canada Soccer shared in a statement regarding 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.”

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Davies Injuries Woes Continue

Alphonso Davies has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. | F. Noever/FC Bayern/Getty Images

Despite being in what should be the prime years of his career, Davies has suffered with setbacks throughout the last several seasons, which have reached an extreme level since May 2025, when he last played for Canada. 

The Edmonton native initially suffered an ACL tear in a Concacaf Nations League match against the United States, which kept him out of action for 260 days. He returned to Bayern on Dec. 8, but suffered a torn muscle fiber in his right hamstring in late February. 

After returning from the right hamstring injury, he missed a spell between March 11 and April 2 due to another right hamstring setback, before the most recent injury to his left hamstring. 

With the various setbacks, Davies has missed the last 15 Canada matches, marking his second prolonged absence from the national team. Previously, he missed six matches in 2022 World Cup qualifying while recovering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. 

Through his time in the national team shirt, he has played 58 games, scoring 15 goals and 18 assists, highlighted by Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal against Croatia in Qatar. Canada has a 20W-9D-12L record with him in the lineup since his debut and 20W-6D-10L without him.

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Canada’s Solutions Without Davies

Richie Laryea is Canada’s starting left back without Alphonso Davies. | Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

The potential loss of Davies is dire for Canada, but not the end of its World Cup hopes, given the improvements across the player pool since the 2022 World Cup and, more drastically, since Jesse Marsch’s appointment in May 2024. 

At the same time, the recent setback could mean Davies is included in the 26-man World Cup roster, set to be announced by May 30, but could make his tournament debut in the late stages of Group B or in potential knockout matches. 

In his place, Canada would likely rely on Toronto FC fullback Richie Layea to play the position after impressing in the role through 2025, highlighted by a scoreless draw against Colombia. Meanwhile, Norwich City’s Ali Ahmed, Tigres UANL’s Marcelo Flores or Hull City’s Liam Millar would start in left midfield. 

Laryea has missed the last three Toronto matches and is expected to be back to full health for the World Cup, while Ahmed recovers after limping out of Norwich City’s Championship finale last weekend. Millar is set to take on the Championship playoffs with Hull, and Flores attacks the Concacaf Champions Cup final with Tigres.

Outside of the left flank, Canada is also hopeful of getting key striker Promise David back in time for the tournament, with reports emerging that the 6’5” Royal Union Saint Gilloise forward is ahead of schedule after hip surgery. At the same time, key center back Moïse Bombito is hopeful to return to action in pre-World Cup friendlies, having not played since the fall due to a broken leg.

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Canada’s Ceiling Without Davies?

Jesse Marsch's Canada has figured out how to remain competitive without Davies. | IMAGO/Captive Camera Cover Images

Given Davies’s time away from the national team, Canada has adapted to playing without him down the left flank, making a World Cup run on home soil still a legitimate possibility even without his speed and skill. 

Ranked No. 30, Canada will look to set the tone against No 65-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, likely needing at least a draw to stay in contention for the top spot in Group B, before a practically must-win fixture against No. 55 Qatar in Vancouver. 

The hosts wrap up the group stage against No. 19-ranked Switzerland, aiming to win the group and keep the team in Vancouver for the round of 32 and, potentially, the round of 16. 

Canada will host a pre-World Cup camp in Charlotte, before traveling to Edmonton and Montreal for friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland.

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