Canada Soccer has officially unveiled the 26-man squad that will compete in next month’s FIFA World Cup.
Manager Jesse Marsch’s side is a mixture of youth and experience, with 13 players returning from the last World Cup in Qatar.
Canada is set to compete in Group B alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland. The CanMNT first sees action on June 12 against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium. Canada will then relocate to Vancouver for its last two group-stage matches, taking on Qatar on June 18 and then facing off with Switzerland on June 24.
The squad was pared down from a 32-man player pool announced earlier this week. They were invited to a final pre-tournament training camp in Charlotte, N.C. Those at the camp who did not make the final squad were defenders Zorhan Bassong of Sporting Kansas City, Bristol City’s Jamie Knight-Lebel, on loan at Swindon Town, and Ralph Priso of the Vancouver Whitecaps, midfielder Jayden Nelson of Austin FC and forwards Daniel Jebbison of Preston North End, on loan from Bournemouth, and Toulouse’s Jacen Russell-Rowe.
There was no surprise at the goalkeeping position with only three keepers invited into the camp. Maxime Crépeau of Orlando City, Barnsley’s Owen Goodman, on loan from Crystal Palace, and Inter Miami’s Dayne St. Clair made the final squad. Crépeau and St. Clair will compete for the No. 1 shirt. The two men will split duty on June 1 in a friendly against Uzbekistan in Edmonton, which will act as a final audition. Marsch’s starter will then play the full game against Ireland, Canada’s last match ahead of the tournament, in Montreal on June 5.
So much of Canada’s backline has been ravaged by injury this season, yet those who looked to be potential doubts for the final roster passed late fitness tests and will be on the squad.
Centre-backs Moïse Bombito of Nice and Middlesbrough’s Alfie Jones have not played for their clubs since October and December, respectively, but are cleared to play in the World Cup. They will be joined by Derek Cornelius of Rangers, on loan from Marseille, Celtic’s Alistair Johnston, Dender’s Luc de Fougerolles, on loan from Fulham, Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea, Niko Sigur of Hajduk Split and the Chicago Fire’s Joel Waterman.
Captain Alphonso Davies can be deployed at left-back or further up the pitch and will be on the squad, but Marsch isn’t sure when exactly he will be available. The 25-year-old Edmonton native injured his hamstring in Bayern Munich’s Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain in early May. His initial prognosis was a four-to-five-week recovery time, which would take him into the first week of the tournament. Marsch said earlier this week that he didn’t expect Davies to be fit for the opening match.
Canada’s midfield features both flair and skill. In the centre of it are Porto’s Stephen Eustáquio, on loan at Los Angeles FC, Ismaël Koné of Sassuolo, Anderlecht’s Nathan Saliba, Liam Millar of Hull City, Toronto FC veteran Jonathan Osorio, and Mathieu Choinière, Eustáquio’s teammate at LAFC. On the wings are a third LAFC player in Jacob Shaffelburg, Tajon Buchanan of Villarreal, Norwich City’s Ali Ahmed and Marcelo Flores of Tigres.
Up front, Union SG’s Promise David was touch-and-go to be ready for the World Cup. Incurring a serious hip injury in February that required surgery, the 24-year-old Brampton, Ont. native recovered ahead of schedule and passed a late medical to ensure participation. Rounding out Canada’s forward corps are Jonathan David of Juventus, Southampton’s Cyle Larin, on loan from Mallorca, and Tani Oluwaseyi from Villarreal.
Heading into its third World Cup, Canada is still seeking its first victory. Should the CanMNT make it out of the group stage, its first knockout-round match could also be in Vancouver. Outside of the three Canada matches, Toronto and Vancouver will play host to an additional 10 contests. The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Canada’s 26-man World Cup roster
Goalkeepers - Maxime Crépeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Barnsley, on loan from Crystal Palace) and Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami)
Defenders - Moïse Bombito (Nice), Derek Cornelius (Rangers, on loan from Marseille), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Luc de Fougerolles (Dender, on loan from Fulham), Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split) and Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire)
Midfielders - Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal) Mathieu Choinière (Los Angeles FC), Stephen Eustáquio (Los Angeles FC, on loan from Porto), Marcelo Flores (Tigres), Ismaël Koné (Sassuolo), Liam Millar (Hull City), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht) and Jacob Shaffelburg (Los Angeles FC)
Forwards - Jonathan David (Juventus), Promise David (Union SG), Cyle Larin (Southampton, on loan from Mallorca) and Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal)
