The kick off of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is around the corner as on June 11 the most anticipated soccer tournament will officially start. With a full month of action and entertainment on the horizon, the coaches of all 48 national teams are finalizing their squad selections. As a few big names remain uncertain, fans can expect surprises, tough calls, and last-minute decisions. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the official squad announcements.
When are the teams announcing their squads?
FIFA will make the 26-players on each the 48 rosters of the 2026 World Cup public on June 2, but the teams can announce their rosters before that day, if they want to. The associations must provide FIFA their final squads of between 23 and 26 players, including at least three goalkeepers. A player on the final list can be replaced by a player from the preliminary list in the event of a serious injury or illness no later than 24 hours before the team’s first match at the World Cup, while a goalkeeper in the final squad may be replaced by another goalkeeper from the preliminary squad in the event of a serious injury or illness at any time during the World Cup.
What is a preliminary list?
In the meantime, the teams can make their preliminary lists official, but this is not mandatory. The participating associations will need to provide FIFA a list between 35 and 55 players, four of whom must be goalkeepers. Some of the teams have already done that, such as Argentina and Brazil. The 2022 World Cup winners, for example, have not included AS Roma striker and former world champions Paulo Dybala in the preliminary list, while Neymar Jr. features in the list of Carlo Ancelotti’s national team, although recently injured Chelsea youngster Estevao reportedly does not.
The USMNT roster
Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT will announce their roster on May 26 and will make it a “live fan celebration from New York City, bringing supporters directly into one of the most anticipated moments in the sport”, as announced earlier this year by the U.S. association. The event will take place at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City’s historic South Street Seaport. The roster announcement will precede the team’s final two friendlies before the World Cup against Senegal on May 31 in Charlotte and against Germany on June 6 in Chicago. The USMNT will kick off their World Cup campaign against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, at Los Angeles Stadium.
