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2026 W’Cup: FIFA unveils full 26-man squad lists for all 48 countries

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The countdown to the biggest FIFA World Cup in history has officially begun, with all 48 participating countries now confirming their final squad lists.

For the first time ever, 48 nations will compete for football’s most prestigious trophy when the 2026 World Cup begins across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

After months of tough qualification matches, injury worries, heated debates and selection headaches, every team has now settled on its final 26-man squad.

National team coaches have spent the past few weeks making difficult choices, carefully balancing experienced players with young talents.

Many provisional lists have now been trimmed down, forcing managers to leave out some big names while rewarding in-form and emerging players.

The final squads present a rich mix of football stars from around the world, including seasoned World Cup veterans, exciting teenage prospects, and some surprise inclusions that have already sparked discussion among fans.

With preparations now complete, attention turns fully to the tournament itself, where nations will battle not just for glory, but for a place in football history at the first-ever expanded World Cup.

The confirmed squads feature some of the biggest names in football, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane, alongside a new generation of stars such as Lamine Yamal, Endrick and Gilberto Mora.

The 2026 edition will also be a tournament of contrasts. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon arrives as the oldest player in the competition at 43 years old, while several teenagers are preparing for their first taste of football’s grandest stage.

Below are the complete confirmed squads for all 48 countries competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Group A

Mexico

Goalkeepers: Raul Rangel (Guadalajara), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna).

Defenders: Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Israel Reyes (Club America), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Mateo Chavez (AZ).

Midfielders: Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Roberto Alvarado, Brian Gutierrez, Luis Romo (Guadalajara), Edson Alvarez (West Ham), Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Luis Chavez (Dynamo Moscow).

Forwards: Cesar Huerta (Anderlecht), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah), Guillermo Martinez (UNAM), Armando Gonzalez (Guadalajara), Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan), Raul Jimenez (Fulham).

South Africa

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates). Defenders: Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Khulumani Ndamane (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Olwethu Makhanya (Philadelphia Union), Bradley Cross (Kaizer Chiefs), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Nkosinathi Sibisi, Kamogelo Sebelebele (both Orlando Pirates), Ime Okon (Hannover), Samukele Kabini (Molde FK), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire).

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Jayden Adams (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela).

Forwards: Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Evidence Makgopa, Relebohile Mofokeng (all Orlando Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Iqraam Rayners, Themba Zwane (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol).

South Korea

Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk) Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)

Midfielders: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), Lee Kang-in (Paris St-Germain), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves)

Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besitkas), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)

Czech Republic

Goalkeepers: Matěj Kovář (PSV), Jindřich Staněk (Slavia Prague), Lukáš Horníček (Braga)

Defenders: Vladimír Coufal (TSG Hoffenheim), Tomáš Holeš (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejčí (Wolves), David Zima (Slavia Prague), Jaroslav Zelený (Slavia Prague), David Jurásek (Slavia Prague), David Douděra (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranáč (TSG Hoffenheim), Štěpán Chaloupek (Slavia Prague)

Midfielders: Tomáš Souček (West Ham), Vladimír Darida (Hradec Králové), Lukáš Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadílek (Slavia Prague), Pavel Šulc (Lyon), Lukáš Červ (Viktoria Plzeň), Hugo Sochůrek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzeň), Denis Višinský (Viktoria Plzeň)

Forwards: Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Adam Hložek (TSG Hoffenheim), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Mojmír Chytil (Slavia Prague), Tomáš Chorý (Slavia Prague)

Group B

Canada

Goalkeepers: Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami), Maxime Crépeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Barnsley) Defenders: Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Luc de Fougerolles (Dender), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire), Derek Cornelius (Rangers), Moïse Bombito (Nice), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split)

Midfielders: Mathieu Choinière (LAFC), Stephen Eustaquio (LAFC), Ismaël Koné (Sassuolo), Liam Millar (Hull City), Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Nathan Saliba (Anderecht), Marcelo Flores (UANL)

Forwards: Cyle Larin (Southampton), Jonathan David (Juventus), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)

Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis ⁠Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens)

Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke 04)

Qatar

Goalkeepers: Mahmud Abunada (Al-Rayyan), Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail), Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd)

Defenders: Pedro Miguel (Al-Sadd), Lucas Mendes (Al-Wakrah), Issa Laye (Al-Arabi), Jassem Gaber (Al-Rayyan), Ayoub Al-Oui (Al-Gharafa), Homam Ahmed (Cultrual Leonesa), Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd), Sultan Al-Brake (Al-Duhail), Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain (Al-Arabi)

Midfielders: Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan), Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al-Gharafa), Ahmed Fathy (Al-Arabi), Assim Madibo (Al-Wakrah)

Forwards: Ahmed Alaaeldin (Al-Rayyan), Edmilson Junior (Al-Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al-Gharafa), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Sadd), Akram Afif (Al-Sadd), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al-Wakrah), Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail), Tahsin Jamshid (Al-Duhail), Mohamed Manai (Al-Shamal)

Switzerland

Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient), Marvin Keller (Young Boys)

Defenders: Miro Muheim (Hamburger SV), Silvan Widmer (Mainz), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan), Ricardo Rodriguez (Real Betis), Eray Comert (Valencia), Aurele Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt), Luca Jaquez (VfB Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Denis Zakaria (Monaco), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Johan Manzambi (SC Freiburg), Granit Xhaka (Sunderland), Ardon Jashari (Milan), Djibril Sow (Sevilla), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Michel Aebischer (Pisa), Fabian Rieder (FC Augsburg)

Forwards: Breel Embolo (Rennes), Dan Ndoye (Nottingham Forest), Ruben Vargas (Sevilla), Noah Okafor (Leeds United), Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Cedric Itten (Fortuna Dusseldorf)

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Pearl Essien is a digital content creator and a graduate of the prestigious University of Calabar. With over four years of experience in writing, she specializes in crafting engaging stories that inform and inspire readers. Outside of her work, Pearl enjoys storytelling, reading, and playing table tennis, bringing the same curiosity and passion to her hobbies as she does to her writing.

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