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Canada head coach Jesse Marsch remains optimistic that Alphonso Davies will take part in the World Cup, even as the Bayern Munich left-back continues to recover from a hamstring injury. However, the defender is unlikely to be ready for Canada’s opening Group B match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Marsch provided an encouraging update regarding Davies’ fitness ahead of the tournament. The Bayern Munich star sustained a hamstring tear in a clash with Paris Saint-Germain, raising doubts about his availability for the World Cup to be hosted on home soil. Despite these concerns, Davies has been named in Canada’s preliminary 32-man training squad but has stayed back in Germany to continue the initial stages of his rehabilitation programme.

The coach confirmed that the 25-year-old is expected to make an appearance later in the competition, even though the June 12 opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina will likely come too soon. This week, the Canadian team held a training camp in Charlotte before playing friendly matches against Uzbekistan and Ireland as part of their preparation for the tournament.

Speaking to the media during the camp, Marsch admitted that Davies is unlikely to feature in the first match but is confident that he will recover in time to participate in the World Cup. “Yes, I think Alphonso will play in the World Cup,” Marsch told reporters, as quoted by ESPN. “No, I don’t think he’ll be ready quite on June 12. But we’ll see.”

Davies remains one of Canada’s most crucial players, having earned 58 international caps and scored 15 goals for the national team. His speed, attacking prowess, and experience are viewed as vital to Canada’s chances of making a deep run in a World Cup they are co-hosting with the United States and Mexico.

Marsch explained that Bayern Munich has been overseeing a specific recovery plan for Davies. “Bayern has put him through certain protocols that they can do in Germany that they can’t do in North America,” Marsch said. “That’s one of the reasons he stayed there — they have advanced treatment techniques that benefit him. They’ve been very supportive, and they want to see him play in the World Cup. They understand how important it is for their players to represent both club and country.”

He further added, “Alphonso will be arriving on the 31st in Edmonton. After discussions with Bayern, we agreed it was best for him to continue his initial recovery treatments until the 28th, then take a few days off before joining us on the 31st. From there, we’ll resume his rehab and work to get him physically ready to contribute to our team.”

Canada will announce their final 26-man World Cup squad on Friday, and Davies is widely expected to be included despite ongoing fitness issues. The next few weeks will be critical in determining whether he can return in time for the later stages of the group phase. Marsch and his coaching team will keep a close eye on the Bayern defender during the upcoming friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland. Though missing the opener would be a setback, Canada remains hopeful that Davies’ return will deliver a significant boost as the tournament progresses.