2026 World Cup final squads confirmed for 48 teams

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, the final preparations are now complete for a tournament that will be unprecedented in scale. Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the event will feature an expanded format of 48 national teams competing in 104 matches over five and a half weeks, culminating in the final on July 19. The tournament's official final squad lists have been confirmed, totaling 1,248 players from 48 nations.

This edition introduces four new participants: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. The squads feature a mix of seasoned veterans and new talent, including 357 players with prior World Cup experience and 891 making their tournament debut. Notable veterans Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, and Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa are all set to appear in their sixth World Cup. The age range spans from 17-year-old Mexican Gilberto Mora to 43-year-old Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

The tournament's new structure divides the 48 teams into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will advance to a first-ever 32-team knockout stage. This format aims to...