Alphonso Davies left out of Canada's World Cup starting XI vs Bosnia — on bench as substitute

Davies left out of starting XI for Canada's World Cup opener

Who: Alphonso Davies and the Canada national team. What: Davies will not start Canada’s 2026 World Cup opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field on June 12, but he is available among the substitutes. When: The decision applies to the Group B opener being played on Friday; Davies suffered a hamstring injury on May 6 while playing for Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain. Why it matters: Canada are playing the first World Cup match on home soil and need a positive result to set the tone for the group-stage campaign.

Why the coaching staff has taken a cautious approach

Davies has been progressing through a recovery process since the hamstring issue in early May. Canada head coach Jesse Marsch and the national team medical staff decided not to rush the 25-year-old back into the starting XI to avoid risking a setback. Davies himself said last week that "there's no need to rush, just keep continuing the recovery," and accepted that missing the opener could be necessary to ensure he reaches full fitness for later matches.

Who is covering Davies' role on the left?

With Davies not at 100 percent, Jesse Marsch has adjusted his starting selection. Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea occupies the left side of Canada’s defence for the opener, while Hull City’s Liam Millar is deployed on the left of midfield. The line-up posted on Canada’s official account for the match also lists a forward pairing described as "JD and Tani up top," "Max is in goal" and "Staqs captains the side."

Match context: home opener and fixture schedule

The opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina carries extra weight because it is Canada’s first match at a World Cup on home soil. The team will have six additional days after this match to continue Davies’ recovery before their second Group B game against Qatar in Vancouver on June 18, with the group campaign concluding against Switzerland six days after that, according to the team’s schedule.

At the time of this report the Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina fixture is in the second half with the score 0-1.

Key points

• Alphonso Davies is not in Canada’s starting XI for the June 12 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina but is available among the substitutes.
• Davies suffered a hamstring injury on May 6 while playing for Bayern Munich against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
• Richie Laryea starts at left back; Liam Millar is on the left of midfield.
• Canada's opening World Cup match is being played at BMO Field on home soil; the side faces Qatar on June 18 in Vancouver and Switzerland six days after that.
• Match status at the time of the source is second half with Bosnia leading 1-0.

What it means for Canada and Davies

Putting Davies on the bench reflects a balance between short-term selection and long-term availability. By keeping him as a substitute, Marsch preserves the option to introduce his most dangerous attacking full‑back later in the match if needed while prioritising the player's full recovery ahead of the rest of the group-stage program.

For Canada, the immediate test is to secure a favourable result in the opener even without their biggest star in the starting XI. How the makeshift left side performs will influence whether Davies is needed from the bench and how heavily the coaching staff will rely on him in the remaining group matches.

What happens next

Canada will monitor Davies’ match involvement and the medical staff will use the next six days to continue his fitness work before the June 18 game in Vancouver against Qatar. Any decision to use Davies as a starter later in the group stage will be based on his recovery progress and the coaching staff’s assessment after this match.