World Cup 2026 preview: Alphonso Davies setting the pace for Canada

Canada

Last World Cup: Group stage

Fifa ranking: 30th

Record in qualifying: Qualified as co-hosts

Best result: Group stage

With forward Jonathan David now plying his trade at Juventus, alongside Villarreal midfielder Tajon Buchanan and Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, Canada arguably boast their strongest-ever World Cup squad. The hope back home is that it will bring a marked improvement on their campaign at the 2022 edition in Qatar where they exited at the group stage after three defeats.

Their only other appearance, at the 1986 tournament in Mexico, ended in similar fashion. While securing a first World Cup point would already represent progress, expectations are higher: supporters and American head coach Jesse Marsch will be aiming for a place in the knockout rounds.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Last World Cup: Did not qualify

Fifa ranking: 65th

Record in qualifying: 5W, 1L, 4D

Twelve years after their World Cup debut, Bosnia and Herzegovina are back on the global stage, defying the odds to get there. During the play-offs, they were heavy underdogs in the semi-final in Wales but held their nerve to win on penalties and when few expected them to trouble four-time champions Italy in the final, Bosnia produced a stunning upset with another shoot-out victory.

Now, attention turns to whether their run can continue. More than a decade on, their hopes still rest on the 40-year-old shoulders of former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, whose experience and finishing touch remain vital despite playing in Germany’s second tier.

Switzerland

Last World Cup: Round of 16

Fifa ranking: 19th

Record in qualifying: 4W, 0L, 2D

Best result: Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)

After a seamless qualifying campaign where they went unbeaten with four wins and two draws, all signs point to Switzerland winning the group comfortably and making the knockout rounds of the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time.

Led by captain Granit Xhaka, 33, who has been a key player for newly promoted Sunderland in their impressive season back in the top flight, the Swiss have plenty of tournament experience with back-to-back quarter-final berths at the past two European Championships.

Murat Yakin’s tenure as head coach has been built on defensive solidity and Inter Milan defender Manuel Akanji and his defensive partners will prove to be tough to beat.

Qatar

Last World Cup: Group stage

Fifa ranking: 55th

Record in qualifying: 10W, 5L, 3D

Qatar arrive with modest expectations after a mixed qualification campaign. They won their second-round group and then finished fourth in their third-round group behind Uzbekistan, Iran and United Arab Emirates and needed to qualify through the fourth round. They will at least hope to post an improvement to how they fared as hosts in the last edition, where they scored just one goal and were eliminated in the group stage.

Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui brings valuable experience, but he must rely on a squad drawn entirely from the domestic league. They will be led by key playmaker Akram Afif, with many players in the squad having won back-to-back Asian Cups in 2019 and 2024.

Player to watch: Alphonso Davies (Canada, 58 Caps, 15 Goals, 18 Assists)

When Alphonso Davies is fit, Canada can boast one of the best left-sided players in the world. But the problem, for the Canadians and club side Bayern Munich, is that his career has been blighted by injuries in recent years.

In March 2025, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear that kept him out of action for more than 200 days.

And after suffering a hamstring injury in Bayern’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on May 6, Davies is expected to miss Canada’s opener, although Marsch believes his captain will still play a part in the tournament.

Canada’s hopes of a strong World Cup campaign on home soil hinge heavily on their 25-year-old talisman. Davies is a player who gets the crowd on their feet and has often played in advanced attacking roles for Canada unlike his usual left-back position in Munich to fully exploit his blistering pace.

That speed earned him the nickname “Road Runner” from former teammate Thomas Muller while the Bundesliga once recorded him reaching 36.53kmh during a match.

Davies’ journey adds further weight to his story. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana to Liberian parents, he moved to Canada at five and became a citizen in 2017.

Already the only Canadian to score at a World Cup, leading his nation to a deep run on home soil would cement his status as a national hero.