World Cup 2026: Squad Announcements Tracker

As of 26 May 2026, fifteen of the 48 participating nations have submitted their final 26-man squads to FIFA ahead of the 3 June deadline. Among the notable confirmed sides: England named a squad with no real surprises, retaining the Saka-Bellingham-Foden core with teenage Chelsea striker Tyrique George earning his first senior tournament call-up. Germany confirmed their 26 after a fractious camp in which Toni Kroos — coming out of a second retirement — was handed the captaincy for what he called 'one final chance to lift the trophy.' France, always deliberately late in previous cycles, surprised everyone by confirming early, with Didier Deschamps selecting PSG's Warren Zaïre-Emery as his starting central midfielder alongside Tchouaméni. Brazil submitted their squad on 22 May, with Dorival Júnior opting for Endrick over the injured Gabriel Martinelli as their second striker. Morocco, the 2022 semi-finalists, confirmed a squad showing continuity from their historic run in Qatar, with Achraf Hakimi and Hakim Ziyech both retained despite their advancing years.

Three selections have dominated talking points in the past fortnight. First: Canada's recall of Alphonso Davies, whose club future at Bayern Munich remains unresolved amid a summer transfer saga, and who initially indicated he might withdraw from the tournament to focus on personal contract negotiations. Davies reversed course after a personal phone call from the Canadian prime minister, according to sources close to the camp. Second: Senegal's inclusion of 19-year-old Stade de Reims striker Ibrahima Sow, who had played just four senior internationals before this call-up but whose pace and directness have drawn comparisons to a young Sadio Mané from Aliou Cissé. Third — and most debated — is Bolivia's selection of veteran midfielder Juan Pablo Añez, 37, who had been retired from international football since 2023 but was coaxed back after injuries decimated the squad's midfield options. Bolivia's first-ever World Cup appearance makes sentimentality somewhat forgivable.

No squad announcement cycle is complete without its controversies, and 2026 has delivered several. The most discussed omission across European media is Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni — wait, a correction is needed: Tchouaméni was included. The genuine shock omission from France is Ousmane Dembélé, left out by Deschamps for the third consecutive major tournament after a hamstring issue in early May, a decision the player described publicly as 'deeply unfair' before deleting the post. In the England camp, Marcus Rashford's absence is conspicuous: after a difficult season at Aston Villa following his departure from Manchester United, Gareth Southgate's successor Jack Wilshere judged Rashford below the required sharpness. Most poignant is the omission of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo — now 41 and playing in Saudi Arabia — who confirmed in April that he had not been contacted by the new national team coach Rui Jorge, drawing a line under the most decorated individual career in the tournament's history.

FIFA's mandatory squad submission deadline is 3 June 2026, eight days before the tournament opener. As of now, 33 nations have yet to submit. Several — including Argentina, Spain, and the Netherlands — are expected to name squads in the final 48 hours, consistent with historical patterns. FIFA has confirmed that late submissions will be accepted until midnight Geneva time on 3 June, with any nation missing the deadline subject to a fine and a default 23-man cap rather than 26. No nation has triggered that sanction since 2014. This tracker will update as each squad is confirmed.