Every country has named their 26-man squads for World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer. With 48 teams involved in the tournament, which starts on 11 June, there will be more players than ever accomplishing their goal of appearing in football’s most famous competition.
Each country provided Fifa with a final squad of between 23 and 26 players (at least three of whom must be goalkeepers) by the deadline of 2 June. A subsequently injured player may now only be replaced by someone from a previously-submitted 55-man preliminary squad, up to 24 hours before the team’s first World Cup match.
Guillermo Ochoa joins Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the first players to be selected for a sixth World Cup, with the 40-year-old AEL Limassol goalkeeper chosen by Mexico but unlikely to get much playing time. Midfielder Edson Alvarez, on loan at Fenerbahce from West Ham, will captain the side, with Fulham striker Raul Jimenez headlining the forward options and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora set to become the youngest player to represent Mexico at a World Cup.
Burnley striker Lyle Foster is the only British-based player in the South Africa squad for their first World Cup appearance since 2010, with 19 of the 26-man group plying their club trade in the Rainbow Nation. Uncapped defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross have both been named, while 62-cap goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is the captain.
Former Tottenham star Son Heung-min, now at Los Angeles FC, has been selected for his fourth World Cup and will captain a South Korea side that includes five players currently plying their club trade in the UK – Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan plus four midfielders: Stoke’s Bae Jun-ho, Birmingham’s Paik Seung-ho, Swansea’s Eom Ji-sung and Celtic’s Yang Hyun-jun. German-born defender Jens Castrop also becomes the first player with dual heritage to make a South Korea World Cup squad.
