Canada's most pressing questions ahead of the 2026 World Cup

LOS ANGELES – Jesse Marsch is leaving wondering what could have been.

“I think if the Mexico game goes differently, we really would have had a chance to show that we’re the best team in the region,” Canada’s head coach told The Athletic Monday morning. “For various different reasons, in that game a lot of things went Mexico’s way.”

Canada’s Nations League semifinal against Mexico did not go as planned for Marsch. A goal conceded in the first minute and a missed penalty call against Mexico hampered his side. Yet after a 2-0 loss to the eventual Nations League champion, Canada rebounded with a strong performance in the third-place game, dismantling a wounded U.S. side 2-1.

And so as Marsch packed his bags, he’s already looking forward to Canada’s next tournament with a full-strength squad with a sense of positivity.

That tournament? Oh, it’s the 2026 World Cup.

“I was positive with the team afterwards, because it was a good performance, right? And I wasn’t going to let any negativity sidetrack exactly where we are and the progress we’re making,” Marsch said.

With at least Alphonso Davies and Stephen Eustáquio set to miss this summer’s Gold Cup (FIFA Club World Cup participants get player priority over national teams), the next time Marsch will have his entire team together ahead of a tournament will be in Toronto in June 2026. That’s what made the Nations League such a vital learning experience.

And so coming out of it, what are the key questions Marsch and Canada must consider?

What should the expectations for Canada be in 2026?

A Nations League win would have raised the bar for this team: win two tournament games, add a first trophy in a generation and it likely would have felt primed to get out of its World Cup group.

How does a third-place finish in their last tournament with a full-strength team before the World Cup change Canada’s expectations for 2026?

For Marsch, it doesn’t.

“Of course, we wanted to be raising that trophy and we believed that we could have, and should have, in another scenario,” Marsch said. “But we had two strong performances.”

The continued growth of the men’s national team needs to be reflected in its results. A first World Cup win – the Canadian men have lost all six World Cup group games in their history – feels imperative. But this disappointing Nations League result suggests getting out of the group could be an arduous task. This core has come a long way, but still has yet to show how it can respond to true pressure with a defining win in regular time.

Is Canada truly ready to contend with teams outside of Concacaf?

“Today was another big test for us against very good American team, and it showed that we’re ready to compete and beat everybody in this region,” Canada assistant Mauro Biello said after the third-place game.

He’s probably right. Canada has proven it can either stay in games against Mexico and the U.S. or beat those two teams, but beating Concacaf teams alone is no longer the objective.

Canada can win games in the region but not always dominate. That should leave at least some questions as to what it’ll look like when faced against teams from outside the region. There’s an unpredictability there that is difficult to prepare for.

What can Canada learn from Nations League that could prepare them for playing teams from, say, Europe in the World Cup?

The Canadians will have to develop the necessary savviness and game management, and quick. They have to be able to recover quickly from missteps in games. Teams either on Mexico’s level or beyond will punish them. The only way to do that now is to book friendlies against elite nations before 2026. And multiple sources who were not authorized to speak publicly have told The Athletic that Canada remains in talks with high-ranking teams for friendlies in 2026.

Where will the goals come from in 2026?

Against the U.S., Canada got goals from two forwards in a competitive game for the first time under Marsch. Heading into the third-place game, half of Marsch’s games saw them fail to score. A lack of creativity and finishing in the final third was never more evident than against Mexico.

Cyle Larin’s defensive work rate has drastically improved under Marsch.

“(Larin’s) intelligence and awareness for everything that we try to do tactically is at an extremely high level,” Marsch said.

But his lone goal under Marsch came in a friendly against Panama. Marsch moving Larin out for Tani Oluwaseyi against the U.S. – Oluwaseyi would then score his first Canada goal – suggested Larin’s World Cup starting spot isn’t a given. And at 29, Larin isn’t exactly in the prime of his career heading into 2026. He’ll need to stay consistent with his production for Mallorca leading up to Qatar to maintain his loosening grip on a Canada’s starting spot.

Promise David was a celebrated add to Canada this international window, but didn’t see the pitch at all through Nations League. Daniel Jebbison also made one brief substitute appearance. Though Marsch suggested both could play, that they didn’t suggests they need more time to adapt to his methods in training. Will they do just that through the seven remaining international breaks?

Expect this summer’s Gold Cup to be a key audition for Oluwaseyi, David and Jebbison.

When will Canada’s set pieces improve?

Canada have been poor on set pieces and didn’t convert any during Nations League. In a tournament against defensively sturdy teams, making use of any opportunity is imperative.

“We haven’t been able to get a set-piece coach yet for for several different reasons, but we’re getting there closer. I really care about this and we need to become a good set-piece team. In 14 matches, we only have two set piece goals,” Marsch said, before admitting that the final third and set pieces were essentially his two biggest areas of concern. “And for me in international football, and when you have a strong athletic team, we have to win the set pieces too. This is a big way for us to push toward being really successful.”

Multiple sources with an understanding of Canada’s hiring process told The Athletic that Canada was very close to adding a set-piece coach with a lengthy resume before this international window. Expect landing that  coach to be one of Marsch’s most pressing issues between now and 2026.

What does Canada’s optimal midfield look like?

Let’s assume there are no drastic injuries in the squad before 2026: Canada’s current back four of Alistair Johnston, Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius and Davies seems set. Up top, Jonathan David will start. Cyle Larin is probably still in pole position to play beside him.

But in the middle of the park? The question of who fills the four remaining outfield spots is going to keep Marsch going back to the white board over the next year.

Eustáquio will remain at Porto through the World Cup, playing in European competitions. But his coming out for Mathieu Choinière in the third-place game felt like a surprise. Does Marsch feel he needs a little more pace in front of his back line?

Ismaël Koné lacks consistency in his game for Canada. He needed to be better against Mexico but moved confidently and decisively against the U.S.

Will Jonathan Osorio’s experience be enough to keep him in the conversation? He showed up against Mexico. It’s worth wondering what his national team form would look like were he not being dragged down playing for bottom-feeding Toronto FC.

Out wide, Ali Ahmed’s international form has leveled out since his breakout summer. The Nations League showed it’s imperative he add more tools to his game. Jacob Shaffelburg’s recent hamstring injury meant he wasn’t fully fit enough to start for Canada this window. Marsch remains a fan, but a move to play more difficult competition abroad would help his case to become a World Cup starter.

Finally, Tajon Buchanan didn’t look out of place against the U.S. in his first start for Canada since Copa América. Behind the scenes, Buchanan’s been devastated by the broken tibia he suffered at Copa. It was difficult for him to get starts at Inter Milan after the injury, and a loan to Villarreal followed. In Spain, Buchanan has only just earned his first start.

“Not everything is going to go the way you want it to go,” Buchanan confessed to The Athletic this week. “Sometimes people think we’re professionals, and things just always fall into place for ourselves. But this is a journey of roller coasters and ups and downs, and throughout my career, there’s been many ups and downs. I was at a point where I wasn’t playing. So that was my down. And I didn’t feel like myself.”

The Nations League confirmed what should be obvious: Buchanan is one of the most dynamic players in the region and should be starting for Canada. Can he continue playing enough for Villarreal to ensure that happens?

Tani Oluwaseyi scores for Canada against the U.S. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

Which young players are ready for more opportunities?

Marsch loved Niko Sigur literally sprinting along the touchline when his name was called to enter the third-place game earlier than expected. The 21-year-old is on the cusp of his first starts. His energy, along with his cunning ball-playing abilities, is what put him there. Sigur replaced Alphonso Davies but had Koné gotten injured in midfield instead, it’s just as likely he would’ve jumped in there. He’s that versatile.

Marsch turning to Sigur in a game of that magnitude is evidence of how close he is to playing a prominent role – and he’s not alone.

Oluwaseyi replaced Larin as a starter in the third-place game, and the 24-year-old repaid Marsch’s faith with his first national team goal, scoring the opener against the U.S. For all the excitement over Jebbison and Promise David joining the forward group, that faith could see Oluwaseyi push for more starts going forward.

“I felt we needed fresh legs,” Marsch said of his decision to start Oluwaseyi, before noting that Jebbison and David simply hadn’t had enough training time with Canada. “(Oluwaseyi) understands where we need him to be, he understands all of the pressing behaviors, all the positional ideas with the ball, what we try to create and the speed and intensity at which he can play is a benefit for the group.”

Jamie Knight-Lebel, 20, has just one appearance for Canada but he was impressive to watch in training in Los Angeles. His positioning and physicality is strong. If he goes back to Bristol City next season and plays regularly, he could get more playing time, too. 

Is Dayne St. Clair still the starting GK?

The loss to Mexico wasn’t on Canada’s goalkeeper, and the team itself does not believe that, either. But seeing U.S. forward Patrick Agyemang’s shot bounce somewhat awkwardly off St. Clair’s leg and into Canada’s goal? That might lead to some questions internally about whether St. Clair’s stellar shot-stopping ability from MLS can translate to the biggest games with Canada.

That’s not to say it won’t. It’s merely that St. Clair might not be as far ahead of Maxime Crépeau in the race for Canada’s 2026 starting role as he was before the Nations League finals began.

So much will depend on who is in form with his club side heading into next summer, and a strong next season from Crépeau could swing things back in his direction. 

Can Alphonso Davies stay healthy?

It’s been far too long since Canada’s captain completely took over a game and dominated with his dribbling prowess and ability to set up teammates with his crossing skill. Davies hasn’t scored for Canada since November 2023, either.

Now, injuries are to blame there in some manner – Davies missed the November international window with fatigue – but Davies still hasn’t thrived under Marsch. That’s all the more disappointing considering Davies’ speed seems tailor-made for Marsch’s aggressive system.

Davies likely doesn’t come into camps feeling at his freshest. The weight he carries for Bayern, starting regularly and playing against the best teams in the world, is one that many of his teammates don’t feel with their clubs. So far, that weight exists for Canada, too. He still moves into the middle with the ball when not necessary.

Watching Davies and talking to teammates, it’s clear he’s growing into his role as captain. That’s a positive. But this international window still presented two pressing questions for Canada’s best player: Can he stay healthy through the World Cup? He’s been unable to avoid injuries with Bayern. Davies also left the third-place game with an injury, after initially picking up a knock during the semifinal against Mexico. How can Canada get the best out of him without keeping him in bubble wrap?

“I don’t think it’s too bad,” Marsch said of Davies’ latest injury. “I think it’s more precautionary than anything.”

But the bigger question: how can Marsch get the same Davies who has re-entered the chat as one of the best left backs in the world showing up for Canada? A completely dominant Davies can probably win you a World Cup game against a weaker opponent on his own. And getting that win means a lot to the Canadian program.

(Top photo: Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)