Canada soccer benches Bombito ahead of World Cup warm‑up

Canada, co‑host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, placed midfielder Alessandro Bombito on the bench for its final pre‑tournament friendly against the Republic of Ireland. Coach Jesse Marsch noted that Bombito, who plays for OGC Nice, is still recovering from a reaction after the Uzbekistan match and will be given time to regain fitness.

Several other players are also dealing with injuries: captain Stephen Eustaquio wore the armband, Alphonso Davies is working back from a hamstring problem, and midfielder Marcelo Flores is out with a torn ACL. Marsch said decisions on who will replace Flores will be made after the exhibition, and the squad can replace any injured player up to 24 hours before the opening World Cup game on June 12 in Toronto.