Alphonso Davies Set to Join Canada Against Qatar in World Cup

VANCOUVER — Canada captain Alphonso Davies is poised to make his return to the field for Canada’s second World Cup match against Qatar on Thursday. Head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed Davies' availability after he participated in training sessions this week. "(Davies) has been in training this week," Marsch stated during a press conference. "We’ll see how the match goes and then make a decision on how we would choose to use them (Davies and centre-back Moïse Bombito)." Davies was previously sidelined due to an injury sustained during the Champions League semi-final involving Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, with recovery estimated at 4-6 weeks. This marks the sixth week since the injury, aligning with his expected return timeline.

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Davies' fitness has been a significant talking point since his arrival at the Canada camp on June 1. Despite initially being included in the World Cup roster, Davies remained under return-to-play protocols. This involved training both with the team and independently under Matthias Blankenburg, a specialist trainer. Bombito, who also missed the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, is confirmed to be match-ready for the encounter with Qatar.

In Vancouver, Davies has shown improved agility and strength compared to his earlier training sessions in Montreal. His last appearance for Canada was against the United States in March 2025, where he suffered an ACL injury. Ahead of the Qatar match, Canada Soccer has opted to cease daily updates on Davies' status, suggesting a strategic approach to his inclusion. "Alphonso is looking really good," Marsch noted, emphasizing his readiness and potential contribution based on the match's context. Meanwhile, centre-back Alfie Jones won't feature against Qatar due to ongoing recovery challenges, following an ankle injury and subsequent surgery.