The wait is almost over. Canada will unveil its final 26-man squad for this summer's FIFA World Cup during a live event Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
To do so, head coach Jesse Marsch must make six cuts from the 32-player group he named for a pre-tournament training camp in Charlotte, N.C., this week. Some of the decisions are obvious. Others, especially those where injuries could be a determining factor, are far trickier.
Here's what I expect to be Canada's final roster for the World Cup, along with a projected starting lineup for the co-host's tournament opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12.
👉 Jump to: Positional breakdown | Projected XI
Projected 26-man squad
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Dayne St. Clair, Owen Goodman
Center-backs: Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles, Joel Waterman, Alfie Jones
Full-backs: Alphonso Davies, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur
Central midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio, Ismael Kone, Mathieu Choiniere, Nathan Saliba, Jonathan Osorio
Wide midfielders: Ali Ahmed, Tajon Buchanan, Liam Millar, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg
Strikers: Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Promise David
Final cuts: Daniel Jebbison, Ralph Priso, Jamie Knight-Lebel, Jayden Nelson, Zorhan Bassong, Jacen Russell-Rowe
Goalkeepers
Crepeau, St. Clair, and Goodman were the only three shot-stoppers invited to this week's training camp, so there's little to decipher here. James Pantemis was the other contender to be the third-choice netminder, but Marsch clearly wants the 22-year-old Goodman to experience the World Cup atmosphere before he eventually takes over between the sticks down the line.
The battle between Crepeau and St. Clair remains one of the great mysteries for Canada going into the tournament. The starting goalkeeper position remains up for grabs.
It's long felt like Marsch and his staff wanted St. Clair to firmly establish himself as the undisputed No. 1, but he's yet to actually do that. The door remains wide open for Crepeau, whose veteran presence and demeanor provide a calming influence on an otherwise excitable team. The two will split time in Canada's upcoming pre-tournament friendly against Uzbekistan. All things being equal coming out of that match, it feels like Crepeau has inched ahead ever so slightly.
Center-backs
Bombito told reporters in Charlotte that he's "100%" confident he'll be ready for Canada's World Cup opener despite not playing since October due to a fractured tibia. Canada's best central defender by a significant margin, Bombito is absolutely integral to Marsch's squad and the team's chances this summer. His recovery also has a knock-on effect down the line.
Kamal Miller, a starter four years ago in Qatar, was one of the notable omissions from the training camp roster. Had Bombito not been back on track to play, one of Miller or Ralph Priso almost certainly would've made the final squad as additional cover at center-back. Priso, in particular, had a real shot were it not for his recent hamstring injury. He still could, of course. But his path to the World Cup now seems dependent on Alfie Jones' fitness; the imposing Middlesbrough defender has been sidelined since December with an ankle problem, but he's on the mend in Charlotte. After working so hard to convince him to play for Canada, Marsch will give him every possible opportunity to be fit for the World Cup.
Expect Canada to bring five central defenders to the tournament to help mitigate some of the aforementioned injury risk, with De Fougerolles and Waterman providing depth options.
Full-backs
To what extent Davies will feature, if at all, remains the biggest question hovering over Canada going into the World Cup. Marsch said his captain and undisputed star player is unlikely to be ready for the June 12 opener against Bosnia, but thinks the rapid left-back will feature at some point in the tournament. Whenever he returns, it'll provide a huge jolt that's been missing since March 2025, when he last suited up for his country.
Laryea, Canada's best and most consistent player in 2025 while deputizing for Davies, has himself been sidelined since April, but he's expected to be fit by June 12 and continue assuming his stand-in role at left-back.
There's an argument to be made that Marsch should take Bassong to the tournament as an insurance policy; he's the only fully healthy, natural left-back available right now. But with other players capable of either sliding over or flipping to the left side, it's unlikely he'd use a valuable roster spot in that way.
Johnston is another member of Canada's injury-ravaged backline who is rounding back into full fitness after an extended absence, but he remains the first choice at right-back despite Sigur's very strong push for a starting berth. The latter, who can also slide into central midfield with ease, is the type of versatile option that every manager loves to have and utilize.
Central midfielders
Barring injury, Kone and Eustaquio will drive the bus in midfield. The former is coming off a standout season where he made genuine strides in his overall game at Sassuolo, while Eustaquio, a vice-captain, is the heartbeat of the side who keeps everything ticking along in the center of the pitch.
Choiniere and Saliba, meanwhile, are Marsch's trusted backups. Choiniere's set-piece deliveries, in particular, could prove extremely valuable in late-game situations, while Saliba is flourishing at the right time and coming off his first season in Europe with Anderlecht.
Osorio might not see many minutes, but his presence is vital nonetheless. The 33-year-old is one of the stalwarts of this program with 89 caps - only beloved former captain Atiba Hutchinson has made more appearances for Canada's men's team than Osorio, who can still operate in multiple midfield roles and brings technical skill and creativity. More than that, though, he's key for the culture of this team, an intangible element that plays a massive role in a tournament setting. Vibes alone obviously can't ensure you have a successful World Cup, but bad ones can absolutely destroy your tournament. With fellow veteran Junior Hoilett not getting the call - he wasn't on the invite list for training camp - Osorio's influence in the locker room will be crucial.
Wide midfielders
After Davies, Buchanan is Canada's most explosive attacking outlet; he was arguably the team's best performer on the big stage four years ago in Qatar. His position on the right side of Marsch's midfield is rock solid.
After that, though? There are plenty of moving pieces.
Ahmed, a favorite of Marsch, is recovering from injury. If fit - a seemingly constant refrain for this team - he has the inside track on a starting spot. Millar, who just helped Hull City earn promotion to the Premier League, could just as easily start on the left side, while Flores' ascension after pledging his international allegiance to Canada has been swift. The Tigres playmaker offers a unique type of incisive passing that's otherwise lacking in the squad, and has the ability to flip the momentum of matches with his creativity.
Shaffelburg - another injury question mark! - is my wild card. Every other left-sided midfielder (Ahmed, Millar, Flores) is a right-footed player who wants to cut inside off the wing and combine with the strikers. Shaffelburg is the only left-footed option who consistently thunders down the line and plays with raw speed and verticality. That's especially true in the absence of Davies.
He could certainly end up being one of the final cuts. But when trying to concoct a balanced squad with a variety of profiles to handle any situation, someone like Shaffelburg could prove very valuable, and wouldn't come at the expense of another player who's obviously better or more deserving.
Strikers
Jonathan David should play every single minute at the World Cup for Canada. Let's move on.
Who starts alongside the Juventus frontman has been an open debate for months. Larin's chances of even making the squad appeared to be dwindling last year, but then he joined Southampton and promptly rediscovered his scoring touch, finding the net nine times after signing with the Saints in February following some lean spells while bouncing around Europe. But Larin remains an imperfect fit for Marsch's high-intensity pressing system, and he also hasn't scored for the national team since 2024. That keeps Oluwaseyi, a Marsch favorite, very much in the mix to start beside David, even if he too hasn't exactly been prolific during his international career.
And then there's Promise David. Marsch has been very transparent as to why he's delayed the squad announcement until May 29: he wanted to give the towering Union Saint-Gilloise striker every possible opportunity to recover from hip surgery and make the roster.
Canada has just two goals from open play in its last seven official matches, so it's no surprise that Marsch wants the 24-year-old to be involved this summer, even if he's only able to feature off the bench in limited minutes. It's a worthwhile gamble for a team with well-documented scoring woes.
Marsch also has the option to make injury-related changes to his squad up to 24 hours before Canada's first World Cup game, so unless he's obviously unable to play, there's no reason not to include David.
Projected XI
(Source: FotMob)
With Davies unlikely to be ready for Canada's opener, this seems like the most probable lineup that'll take the pitch June 12 against Bosnia. If Davies returns at some point in the tournament, expect to see him assume his familiar left-back spot - his best position - in place of Laryea.
