Canada begin their 2026 World Cup knockout-stage campaign against South Africa, with their hopes growing stronger. Although Alphonso Davies is fully fit, the manager has chosen to start him on the bench for tactical reasons.
During his recent pre-match press conference, published on FIFA’s official website, the Bayern Munich player made it clear that he will return to the pitch to finish what he started alongside his teammates.
“I don’t really think about it. [The injury] could have happened anywhere,” Davies said to the press. “It’s unpredictable. Now coming back to the stadium, I get to finish something I started a year ago in March.
“I really enjoy playing in this stadium because it’s beautiful. It was cut short but at the end of the day, that’s football. You don’t mean to get injured, things happen. Right now I am preparing mentally and physically for tomorrow.”
Alphonso Davies #19 of Canada at Toronto Stadium.
What injury did Alphonso Davies suffer?
Alphonso Davies has faced a challenging path to the 2026 World Cup due to a recurring hamstring injury suffered in May during Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League semifinal second-leg against Paris Saint-Germain. This issue forced the Canadian captain to miss the entirety of the tournament’s group stage, with head coach Jesse Marsch utilizing him as a tactical bench diversion while he completed his recovery.
However, after overcoming the injury, Davies has been officially declared fully fit and ready to make his tournament debut this Sunday in Canada’s high-stakes Round of 32 knockout match against South Africa.
All or nothing for Canada
The high-stakes knockout phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins as Canada square off against South Africa in a historic Round of 32 clash at the Los Angeles Stadium. Scheduled for today at 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM PT local venue time), this highly anticipated match marks the first-ever World Cup knockout appearance for both nations.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the side that advances from this single-elimination battle will book a spot in the Round of 16 to face the winner of Monday’s heavyweight encounter between the Netherlands and Morocco.
