By Staff Reporter
New York: FIFA has officially published the final squad lists for the FIFA World Cup 2026, marking one of the most significant milestones ahead of the tournament’s kick-off in just nine days.
The expanded competition will feature 48 nations and 1,248 players competing across 104 matches in Canada, Mexico and the United States, making it the largest FIFA World Cup in history and opening the door to more teams, players and supporters than ever before.
The confirmed squad lists reflect both experience and renewal within the global game. A total of 357 players return after being included in at least one previous FIFA World Cup squad, while 891 players are set to make their tournament debut, highlighting the emergence of a new generation of international stars.
The age range among participants further underlines the tournament’s diversity. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon enters the competition as the oldest player at 43 years and 162 days, while Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest at just 17 years and 240 days. Overall, 22 players aged under 20 and seven players aged 40 or above could feature during the tournament, while 22 former FIFA World Cup winners are set to return to football’s biggest stage.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will also welcome several nations making their tournament debut. Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan have all qualified for the finals for the first time, demonstrating how the expanded format is broadening representation across world football.
Among the most compelling stories is Uzbekistan’s historic appearance, led by rising talents such as Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Other young stars expected to shine include France’s Warren Zaïre-Emery, New Zealand’s Finn Surman and Morocco’s Bilal El Khannouss.
At the other end of the experience spectrum, some of football’s most iconic figures are preparing for record-breaking campaigns. Argentina captain Lionel Messi, Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa are all set to feature in their sixth FIFA World Cup, an unprecedented achievement in the history of the competition.
The squad lists also highlight the truly global nature of modern football, with 449 clubs from 71 countries represented across the 48 participating teams. While nations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia rely almost entirely on domestically based players, several teams including Cabo Verde, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Curaçao, Senegal and Uruguay have selected squads made up exclusively of players competing abroad.
On the sidelines, Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz is set to make history by appearing at a fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup. The Portuguese tactician previously led Portugal in 2010 and Iran in 2014, 2018 and 2022, becoming only the second coach after Bora Milutinović to achieve five straight World Cup appearances.
The final squad announcements underline the essence of the FIFA World Cup — a global celebration of talent, diversity, ambition and unity through football as the world prepares for a historic edition of the tournament.
