Newcastle United will welcome back four of their World Cup stars sooner than anticipated after their respective nations were eliminated in the round of 32 of the 2026 tournament. The early returns provide a significant boost to manager Eddie Howe's pre-season planning.
World Cup Exits and Key Performances
Bruno Guimaraes' Brazil advanced to the last 16, meaning the midfielder will have a later return. However, Dan Burn, who has not yet played for England at the tournament, remains with the Three Lions. For the quartet returning early, their campaigns ended in the round of 32.
Yoane Wissa of DR Congo impressed with three goals in four games before elimination. Anthony Elanga scored twice for Sweden before Sweden lost 3-0 to France. The biggest surprise came from Germany's Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw, who were beaten on penalties by Paraguay. Woltemade, making his World Cup debut, missed a penalty in the shootout, which may require emotional support from Howe.
Return Dates and Pre-Season Schedule
Newcastle's first-team pre-season training begins on Monday, July 13. Howe had previously stated that World Cup players would receive roughly three weeks off, depending on when they exited the competition. Based on that timeline:
- Woltemade and Thiaw are due back on Tuesday, July 21.
- Elanga returns on Wednesday, July 22.
- Wissa returns on Thursday, July 24.
This means all four should be available for Newcastle's first public pre-season match against Gateshead on Saturday, July 26. If not, they will definitely be available for the trip to Bristol City on Wednesday, July 29, and the subsequent training camp in La Manga, Spain.
Howe's Pre-Season Plans
Howe had explained earlier: "We plan to come back around the 13th of July which is a week longer than normal because of the World Cup. We will go away to Spain in La Manga for around 10 days... The World Cup players will get roughly around three weeks off, depending on when they exit the competition."
The early return of these four signings from last summer is a huge boost for Howe, allowing him more time to integrate them ahead of what are expected to be big second seasons at the club. Newcastle's pre-season also includes matches against Darlington, Valencia, Everton, and a double header at St James' Park, before their Premier League opener against Liverpool on Sunday, August 23.
