World Cup 2026 Squad Deadline: The Biggest Surprises From All 48 Teams

Today is the deadline

All 48 World Cup nations had to submit their final 23–26-man squads to FIFA by Monday, June 1. FIFA publishes the official confirmations tomorrow — after that, there's no going back. Ten days until kick-off in Mexico City.

Germany: Neuer is back — at 40

Head coach Julian Nagelsmann announced his 26-man squad on May 20. The headline: Manuel Neuer returns to the national team after his retirement — as the #1 starter. At 40 years old.

Germany opens on June 14 in Houston against Curaçao (Group E), then Ivory Coast (June 20, Toronto) and Ecuador (June 25).

Spain: Yamal is in — but without Real Madrid

The reigning European champion surprises on two fronts.

First: Lamine Yamal is in the squad despite the hamstring injury that ended his Barcelona season. Spain's first group match is June 15 in Atlanta against Cape Verde — de la Fuente has two weeks to win the fitness gamble.

Second, and this is historic: Not a single Real Madrid player in the Spanish squad. This has never happened before in World Cup history.

Austria: Alaba leads — Group J against Argentina

Austria plays Group J against Argentina (the reigning world champions), plus Jordan (June 17, San Francisco) and Algeria (June 28, Kansas City). David Alaba as captain, Marko Arnautović as vice-captain.

Switzerland: Group B with Canada

Switzerland plays Group B against Canada, Qatar, and Bosnia-Herzegovina — a manageable group on paper.

DACH groups at a glance

• Group B — Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia-H. (from June 12)
• Group E — Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Curaçao (from June 14)
• Group H — Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay (from June 15)
• Group J — Austria, Argentina, Jordan, Algeria (from June 17)

What can still change

Up to 24 hours before a nation's first match, an injured player can be replaced. Yamal's fitness is the biggest open question — Spain is monitoring it daily.

Our AI Picks for all 104 WC matches will update Spain's probabilities as the fitness picture becomes clearer.

When was the WC 2026 squad submission deadline?

Monday, June 1, 2026. FIFA publishes the confirmed squad lists on June 2.

How many players can each nation nominate?

Between 23 and 26 players, including at least 3 goalkeepers.

Can teams still make changes after the deadline?

Yes — in the event of a serious injury or illness, a player can be replaced up to 24 hours before the nation's first match.

Is Lamine Yamal in Spain's squad?

Yes. He was nominated despite a hamstring injury — de la Fuente is betting on his fitness for the opening match on June 15.