If we compare Canada’s 2026 World Cup squad, led by coach Jesse Marsch, with the squad that former coach John Herdman took to Qatar in 2022, we see an enormous improvement. Canadian fans should feel optimistic about their team’s chances of advancing from Group B — which is probably the weakest group in World Cup history — in a tournament in which even the eight best third-place teams advance to the knockout stage.

Goalkeepers

’22: St. Clair, Borjan, Pantemis

’26: St. Clair, Crépeau, Goodman

Serbian-Canadian keeper Milan Borjan was incredible in the World Cup qualifying run that saw Canada finish atop the Concacaf table in 2022. However, his form nosedived after that run, and he played poorly at the World Cup. His worst moment came early in the match against Morocco, when he sent a blooper-reel pass to Moroccan attacker Hakim Ziyech and watched Ziyech chip the ball over his head and into an empty net.

Maxime Crépeau should have been Canada’s starting keeper in Qatar. He had just led Los Angeles FC to the MLS Cup with great performances between the sticks, but he broke his leg in the cup final.

Now, Crépeau’s time has come. Marsch frustrated Canadian fans and media with his indecisiveness, but he has finally chosen Crépeau over Dayne St. Clair as the starting goalkeeper at the 2026 World Cup.

Centre-Backs

’22: Cornelius, Waterman, Miller, Vitória

’26: Cornelius, Waterman, Bombito, Jones, de Fougerolles

The centre-back position was a huge liability in Qatar. Kamal Miller and Steven Vitória, who played every minute of the tournament, were too slow to compete with top international attackers. Multiple goals conceded by Canada can be attributed to this pairing’s lack of pace.

Derek Cornelius and Joel Waterman never made it onto the field in Qatar, but they have developed tremendously under Marsch. Cornelius is a likely starter at the upcoming World Cup, and Marsch will be confident in subbing in Waterman if the need arises.

In 2022, Moïse Bombito had yet to be capped for Canada. Unfortunately, this phenomenal defender is expected to also miss the 2026 World Cup because his surgically repaired leg has not fully healed. The similarly athletic Ralph Priso — an even newer face on the Canadian scene — is a likely replacement for Bombito on the 26-man roster.

Canada’s centre-back depth chart has been bolstered by two English-born recruits who play a tough brand of football: 28-year-old Alfie Jones and 20-year-old Luc de Fougerolles. The latter was Canada’s Young Player of the Year, and the recent friendlies against Uzbekistan and Ireland indicate that he will start alongside Cornelius at the World Cup.

The Cornelius–de Fougerolles pairing proved to be capable of great feats in the international window of September 2025. The duo earned back-to-back clean sheets in away wins over Romania and Wales, and Cornelius even scored the winning goal against Wales.

Fullbacks

’22: Laryea, Johnston, Adekugbe

’26: Laryea, Johnston, Davies, Sigur

Another advantage of the 2026 squad is that Marsch has not unnecessarily pulled players out of position. Alphonso Davies is an experienced, world-class left-back for Bayern Munich, and Marsch has simply and sensibly used Davies as a left-back. Herdman tended to give Davies roving attacking roles that the Bayern phenom did not adapt well to.

Alistair Johnston is an experienced, top-quality right-back for Celtic, and Marsch uses him as such. Herdman often used Johnston as a right-centre-back in a back three, where Johnston’s relative lack of size made him less effective.

During Davies’s and Sam Adekugbe’s long injury absences, Marsch has been forced to move the right-footed fullback Richie Laryea over to the left side, where he poses a bit less of an attacking threat. Nevertheless, Laryea was arguably Canada’s best player while playing left-back throughout 2025, so his use on the left is not a concern. The continued absence of Adekugbe, a natural left-back, is disappointing but not a crisis for Canada.

In Qatar, Canada unravelled against the savviness and technical ability of Croatia. Now, they have gained those qualities in the 22-year-old Croatian-Canadian Niko Sigur, who already has two goals for Canada in addition to his solid defensive work.

Midfielders

’22: Koné, Eustáquio, Osorio, Hutchinson, Fraser, Piette, Wotherspoon, Kaye

’26: Koné, Eustáquio, Osorio, Saliba, Choinière

Central midfield was a worrying position for Herdman in 2022. He went a little overboard with the number of centre-mid picks for Qatar, and four of his choices — Liam Fraser, Samuel Piette, David Wotherspoon, and Mark-Anthony Kaye — could not hold a candle to Canada’s opponents in midfield.

Stephen Eustáquio, battling through injury after a gruelling season with FC Porto, did not make it past halftime of Canada’s second match in Qatar. His freshness at the 2026 World Cup will be a big boost. His partner, Ismaël Koné, will also be in better form this time around. A 20-year-old sub in Qatar, Koné has since thrived in Italy’s Serie A and can be expected to start next to Eustáquio, with whom he has built chemistry over the past four years.

Marsch’s bench options of Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choinière are far superior to the long list of centre-mid bench options Herdman brought to Qatar. Moreover, Marsch’s use of the 33-year-old Jonathan Osorio as a sub is a much better inclusion of veteran influence than Herdman’s use of the 39-year-old Atiba Hutchinson as a starter. Hutchinson looked fatigued early in Canada’s 2022 match against Croatia, and his sluggishness contributed to Canada’s defensive collapse.

Wingers

’22: Millar, Buchanan, Davies, Hoilett

’26: Millar, Buchanan, Ahmed, Shaffelburg, Nelson

Liam Millar and Tajon Buchanan are the returning players on Canada’s wings. After the 2022 World Cup, Millar ascended from the Swiss Super League to the EFL Championship and, very recently, earned promotion to the English Premier League. Buchanan, meanwhile, ascended from the Belgian Pro League to two of Europe’s Big Five leagues: Serie A and La Liga.

Junior Hoilett was a dynamic 31-year-old in Qatar. Now, his lack of speed and stamina has left him out of Marsch’s squad. Opting for pace, Marsch added three wingers who, like Millar and Buchanan, are in their 20s: Ali Ahmed, Jacob Shaffelburg, and Marcelo Flores.

Flores, however, ruptured his ACL while playing for Tigres in the Concacaf Champions Cup final on Saturday, the day after Canada’s squad announcement. Jayden Nelson, another vibrant, young player, has been called in as Flores’s replacement. Canada has never had such depth at the winger position.

Strikers

’22: Larin, J. David, Ugbo, Cavallini

’26: Larin, J. David, P. David, Oluwaseyi

Cyle Larin and Jonathan David, Canada’s two all-time leading men’s goal scorers, are the strikers returning to the roster. They need to improve on their scoreless showing in Qatar for Canada to realize their dreams of success in 2026.

Larin runs hot and cold. When he arrived in Qatar, he was amid a cold streak at Club Brugge, and he remained cold throughout the World Cup. Now, he has just completed a red-hot run in the EFL Championship with Southampton and might just keep the fire burning in the upcoming matches at BMO Field (Toronto Stadium) and BC Place.

Jonathan David almost receded into the background in Qatar. He did not rise to the occasion as a 22-year-old youngster, but his four extra years of experience in Ligue 1 and Serie A could help him meet the moment in 2026.

Promise David and Tani Oluwaseyi, two athletic specimens, are massive 2026 additions. The meteoric rises of Promise and Tani have taken them to the Belgian Pro League and La Liga, respectively, and Promise seems likely to continue his upward trajectory to a club in a Big Five league. Lucas Cavallini, a favourite of Herdman, had spirit but never reached such levels.

Iké Ugbo did not play any minutes in Qatar and was never fully integrated into the Canadian squad. In 2024, he declined Marsch’s call-up to represent Canada at the Copa América, and he has been outside the national team picture ever since. Ugbo’s commitment and attitude were questionable, and Marsch appears to have selected only players who bring good vibes.

Age and Experience

In Qatar, the spine of Canada’s starting eleven had three lumbering veterans: goalkeeper Milan Borjan, centre-back Steven Vitória, and central midfielder Atiba Hutchinson. These players were beyond their peak years, but their experience helped balance out the greenness of the players in Canada’s golden generation, such as Davies, Koné, Millar, Buchanan, and Jonathan David.

Now, Davies and company have reached their prime years, and they know very well what it is like to play in big matches, compete in major tournaments, and face adversity. Captain Hutchinson and Vice-Captain Borjan have passed the baton to Captain Davies and Vice-Captain Eustáquio (who, at 29, is now among the oldest players). Marsch’s squad lacks lumbering veterans, but it does not lack experience.