Bombito To Miss 2026 FIFA World Cup

Despite earlier reporting, Canada national team head coach Jesse Marsch says the team will give Bombito ‘until the last minute’ before making any roster decision regarding the defender.

A second Canadian international is set to miss out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup after having been called up to the world’s biggest stage.

TSN’s Matthew Scianitti reports that centre-back Moise Bombito will be replaced on Canada’s 26-man roster following a determination that the defender’s fitness is not where it needs to be following his tibia fracture in October 2025.

The OGC Nice defender had played for a half-hour against Uzbekistan before being rested against Ireland, with head coach Jesse Marsch later handing Bombito a half-hour of game time in a closed-door training match against USL2 side Vermont Green FC. While Les Rouges emerged 3-0 victors, it was determined that Bombito will not be ready for the World Cup this month.

With Derek Cornelius solidified as a starting centre-back, it looks like 20-year-old defender Luc de Fougerolles will be asked to start alongside him. The Fulham defender started against Ireland and has looked sharp in the lead-up to next week’s World Cup action.

Canada’s defensive backline has been nursing several injuries, with full-backs Richie Laryea and Alistair Johnston only recently returning to action, while Alfie Jones and star defender Alphonso Davies were out of club action entirely before joining Canada as they seek a return to fitness in time for the tournament.

Davies is expected to miss at least the opening game, though the potential contributions from Canada’s star man – who scored Canada’s first-ever Men’s World Cup goal – are enough for Marsch to justify his inclusion.

Fans have seen a little bit of Jones off-the-bench in the World Cup tune-ups, though depth defender Joel Waterman only featured in the scrimmage against Vermont Green.

Bombito began his playing career in Quebec with CS St-Hubert, who can claim credit for his conversion from forward to a centre-back. He then won a Northeast Division title in USL2 with the Seacoast United Phantoms before going third overall in the MLS SuperDraft with Colorado Rapids. Just one-and-a-half years later, he broke the MLS transfer record for a centre-back in a move to OGC Nice, where he’s been ever since.

Marsch and his Canadian national team coaching staff will have until Thursday, June 11 – one day before the country’s group opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina – to name a replacement for Bombito. This player must come from a 55-player provisional roster that Marsch has not made public.

Ralph Priso and Zorhan Bassong will be favourites to replacement Bombito, with both having impressed over the course of the last week. In particular, Priso offers some positional flexibility for Marsch, who must also name a replacement for Marcelo Flores by Thursday. Austin FC’s Jayden Nelson has also done well enough to put his name in the running, adding a goal against Uzbekistan last week.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques