Champions League-bound Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David headline Canada roster for September World Cup qualifiers

Canada will head to the final round of World Cup qualifying with its biggest guns in tow.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies and Lille striker Jonathan David are among the 23 players called by head coach John Herdman for crucial matches in Toronto against Honduras (Sept. 2) and El Salvador (Sept. 8) as well as an away test against the United States in Nashville, Tenn. (Sept. 5). Davies and David are two of four Canadians players bound for the UEFA Champions League group stage after Thursday's draw, along with Beskitas duo Cyle Larin and Atiba Hutchinson.

The Champions League foursome is joined by familiar names such as Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Junior Hoilett, Steven Vitoria and Stephen Eustaquio — all of whom took part in Canada's run to the semifinals of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup last month. Attacker Tajon Buchanan, who inked a deal with Belgian side Club Brugge that will see the 22-year-old remain with MLS club New England Revolution before crossing the Atlantic in January, is back in Herdman's squad and he looks to make his first international appearance on home soil.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Canada hasn't played a home match since October 2019, something that Herdman says his players are eager to change.

“These men know they have a great opportunity to play in front of our fans for the first time in nearly two years, but more importantly the chance to get our campaign off to a great start in the next round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers,” Herdman said in a statement. “There’s been a lot of competition for places in this selection, so assembling this squad posed some nice problems for a coach.”

This is the first time Canada will participate in the final round of CONCACAF's World Cup qualifying tournament since 1997, when it finished sixth out of six teams and did not advance to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The current competition has expanded to eight teams, with the Canucks having racked up a perfect 6-0 record through the two preliminary stages to claim a spot in the final round. Should Canada be among the top three finishers, it will secure a berth in the World Cup for the first time since Mexico 1986.

The fourth placed team will move on to an inter-confederation playoff for the right to head to Qatar.

In total, the eight CONCACAF teams involved in the final round (Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the United States) will each play 14 games by the end of March 2022.

FULL CANADA ROSTER