Alphonso Davies set to play for Canada against South Africa on Sunday

After missing group play, Canada captain Alphonso Davies makes his first appearance in the 2026 World Cup round of 32.

Canada is the first team to play a knockout match.

Alphonso Davies is available to play on Sunday against South Africa when Canada opens the World Cup's round of 32, coach Jesse Marsch said.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch is banking on the "X-factor" of returning superstar Alphonso Davies to elevate his team as they face South Africa in both sides' first-ever World Cup knockout tie in Los Angeles on Sunday.South Africa have also never reached the World Cup knockouts previously.

Alphonso Davies is available to play when Canada begins the World Cup knockout rounds, coach Jesse Marsch said Saturday. Marsch admitted this week that he used his team captain and Bayern Munich star as a decoy during group play, employing gamesmanship to compel Canada's opponents to game-plan for someone who wasn't actually ready to return from his hamstring injury. The situation has now changed, Marsch claimed at SoFi Stadium, where the World Cup co-hosts will play on the road Sunday against South Africa to open the Round of 32.

Canada captain Alphonso Davies is finally set to play at the World Cup when the co-hosts take on South Africa in the first round of 32 match on Sunday. But will he really? Coach Jesse Marsch has said that Davies "is ready and will play" while adding it remains to be seen whether in the starting XI or not.