Goal.com
LiveTickets
World Cup 2026Getty

Translated by

2026 World Cup: when will the preliminary squads and final squads be announced, and how many players will be selected for each national team?

World Cup

All the information on the much-anticipated lists

Now that early spring is here, it’s time to start thinking about the 2026 World Cup: the group stage line-ups are almost finalised, pending the play-offs taking place over the next few days, so all eyes will be on the squads that the 48 participating national teams must submit to FIFA.

  • NEWS

    FIFA has officially announced that World Cup squads will be expanded to 26 players. Multiplying this by 48 national teams gives a total of 1,248 players. Preliminary squads, comprising between 35 and 55 players, are due to be announced on 11 May, with the final squads due on 30 May. Let’s hope that 26 of these 1,248 players are Italian.

    • Advertisement

  • TOWARDS THE START OF THE FESTIVAL

    The provisional squads will therefore be announced one month before Mexico v South Africa, the tournament’s opening match. By the time the lists are officially confirmed on 30 May, there will be less than two weeks to go until 11 June.

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting