Canadian winger Jacob Shaffelburg is set to undergo surgery on Friday to address a degenerative condition, as confirmed by Los Angeles FC. The MLS team stated that the recovery period is expected to be around eight weeks, with the surgery aimed at resolving the issue entirely and ensuring Shaffelburg’s readiness for the 2026 season.
Hailing from Port Williams, N.S., the 26-year-old had been included in Canada coach Jesse Marsch’s January camp in California. However, Canada Soccer announced that Shaffelburg will be replaced by Toronto FC winger Malik Henry.
Shaffelburg, who was acquired by LAFC in a trade on Dec. 29 that saw Nashville SC receive US$1 million in general allocation money, has recorded six goals and one assist in 31 appearances for Canada, including 12 starts.
The Canadian training camp will continue until Jan. 18 in Irvine, culminating in a friendly match against Guatemala, ranked 94th, on Jan. 17 at BMO Stadium, the home ground of LAFC. This encounter marks their first meeting since Guatemala eliminated Canada from the Gold Cup last June in Minneapolis through a quarterfinal penalty shootout, during which Shaffelburg was red-carded in first-half stoppage time.
On the other hand, Henry, now 23 years old, previously represented Canada at the under-15 level. The Hamilton native signed his first-team contract with Toronto last August.