Jacob Shaffelburg is the flying winger in Canada’s World Cup 2026 squad, a direct, pacey attacker who gives Jesse Marsch a different kind of threat off the bench or from the start. A Nashville SC regular who has turned into a genuine goal and assist contributor, Shaffelburg stretches defences and runs in behind. See where he fits in our Canada World Cup 2026 profile.
From Toronto to Nashville
Shaffelburg came through Toronto FC, his boyhood club, before a move to Nashville SC turned his career around. There his pace and end product made him a starter, and he has since also featured for LAFC. The table below covers his main club spells in our database.
| Club | Apps | Goals | Assists | Chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto FC | 62 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| Nashville SC | 92 | 12 | 6 | 75 |
| LAFC | 7 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
What the numbers say
Shaffelburg’s Nashville record shows a winger who hurts teams: 12 goals, six assists and 75 chances created across 92 appearances, with much of that damage done in transition. His pace makes him a constant fast-break threat, and he wins fouls for fun, drawing nine penalties in that spell. He is left-footed and most dangerous cutting in from the left or running the channel.
Jacob Shaffelburg and Canada
For Canada, Shaffelburg is an attacking weapon out wide, a change-of-pace option behind Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan and Liam Millar. Bringing his pace on against tiring defences is exactly the kind of impact Marsch can use late in games. For the full picture, see our Canada men’s national soccer team players guide.
Canada 1-1 Bosnia and what is next
Shaffelburg made an impact off the bench in the opener, coming on against Bosnia and Herzegovina and creating a chance as he gave Canada fresh legs and directness in the 1-1 draw at BMO Field. See how the team rated in our Canada vs Bosnia player ratings. Attention now turns to Qatar on 18 June at BC Place — read our Canada vs Qatar prediction and the wider World Cup 2026 hub, with more on the squad at Canada Soccer.
A creator, not just a runner
The 75 chances headline only hints at how much Shaffelburg feeds the box. At Nashville SC he played 244 passes into the penalty area and fashioned 23 clear-cut big chances, the output of a winger who consistently picks out cutbacks and crosses from the left. He also drags defences out of shape, forcing 97 corners and drawing 37 fouls in the attacking third across the spell.
When he shoots, he is ruthless about location. All 12 of his Nashville goals came from inside the box, five of them on the fast break, and he overwhelmingly favours his left foot — nine of those 12 strikes — tucked low into the corners. It is the finishing signature of a transition winger who knows exactly where the goal is when the chance falls.
Jacob Shaffelburg is a Canadian winger known for his pace and direct running. A Nashville SC attacker, he is part of Canada’s World Cup 2026 squad and came off the bench in the opener.
Shaffelburg came through Toronto FC before a move to Nashville SC in MLS, where he became a regular goal and assist threat, with a more recent spell at LAFC.
He is a left winger, an explosive, direct dribbler who runs in behind, draws fouls and stretches defences with his pace.
Shaffelburg came off the bench against Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding fresh legs and creating a chance in his cameo as Canada drew 1-1.
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