When Alphonso Davies tore apart the left flank against Croatia in the 2022 World Cup and bludgeoned Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal past Dominik Livakovic, it seemed like a new dawn had broken. And now that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on the horizon — and Canada is on board with the U.S. and Mexico as co-hosts — the question isn’t really if Davies will be a star, but if his leadership will propel the national team to its all-time-best-ever run.
The Burden of Home Ground Advantage
Having the World Cup held on home ground is both a blessing and a curse. While it has the potential to unify a home crowd and build momentum on home turf, it also places the host nation under intense pressure, where one misstep is magnified. For Canada, a country still in the process of being discovered as a soccer power, the 2026 World Cup is a trial.
Alphonso Davies, now a world star playing for Bayern Munich, is the central figure. His pace, ability, and unpredictability are threats to the opposing team on every pass they take, but it is his leadership that Canada will be counting on most. With a promising young core of talent around him in the form of Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, and Stephen Eustáquio, Davies won’t have to do it on his own — but he will be the spark that is supposed to set their pursuit ablaze.