When are World Cup 2026 squads announced?

The final club matchday for squad players is May 24, 2026. Clubs must release players by May 25. Official 26-man squad announcements are expected in late May to early June, approximately one to two weeks before the tournament starts.

How many players are in a World Cup squad?

26 players per team — the same expanded size used at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A maximum of 15 substitutes can be named on the match-day bench.

Who has the most World Cup goals ever?

Miroslav Klose (Germany) holds the all-time record with 16 goals scored across four tournaments. Among active players, Lionel Messi (13) and Kylian Mbappé (12) are closest.

Who won the 2022 Golden Boot?

Kylian Mbappé (France) with 8 goals, including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina. He also won the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player.

Will Lionel Messi play at the 2026 World Cup?

As of March 2026, Messi has not confirmed his availability. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has left the door open. Messi would be 38 at the time of the tournament and is still playing regularly for Inter Miami in MLS.

Is this Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup?

Almost certainly. At 41, Ronaldo will become the first man to appear at six World Cups if he plays in 2026. He has previously appeared in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

World Cup 2026 Players

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 national squads and over 1,200 players from every corner of the globe. From generational superstars playing their final tournament to teenagers making their World Cup debut, this is the most talent-rich World Cup ever assembled.

This page highlights the biggest names to watch, the top goalscoring contenders, and the storylines that will define the tournament. For full squad rosters, visit each team's profile page.

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Players to watch at the 2026 World Cup

These are the players who will define the tournament — the names that fill stadiums, dominate headlines and decide knockout matches.

Forwards

Player	Team	Club	Age	Why Watch
Kylian Mbappé	France	Real Madrid	27	Defending Golden Boot winner. 12 World Cup goals — chasing Klose's all-time record of 16.
Erling Haaland	Norway	Manchester City	25	First World Cup. 50+ international goals in under 50 caps. 16 goals in 8 qualifiers.
Vinícius Júnior	Brazil	Real Madrid	25	Brazil's talisman. Near-Ballon d'Or winner. The most electric dribbler in the game.
Harry Kane	England	Bayern Munich	32	8 World Cup goals in 11 matches. England's all-time top scorer. 2018 Golden Boot winner.
Lionel Messi	Argentina	Inter Miami	38	If called up — could be his 6th World Cup. 2022 champion, Golden Ball winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Al-Nassr	41	Record 6th World Cup. 900+ career goals. All-time men's international top scorer.
Raphinha	Brazil	Barcelona	29	Brazil's most consistent attacker. Tireless work rate and end product from either wing.
Lamine Yamal	Spain	Barcelona	18	Euro 2024 breakout star at 16. Already a core player for world #1 Spain.
Estêvão	Brazil	Chelsea	19	Teenage sensation. Top scorer in Brazil's recent qualifying run under Ancelotti.
Son Heung-min	South Korea	LAFC	33	Likely his final World Cup. Asia's greatest-ever player. 141+ caps, captain.

Midfielders

Player	Team	Club	Age	Why Watch
Jude Bellingham	England	Real Madrid	22	England's creative engine. Already a Champions League and La Liga winner.
Pedri	Spain	Barcelona	23	Midfield conductor for the world's top-ranked team. Euro 2024 champion.
Bruno Guimarães	Brazil	Newcastle	28	Ancelotti's midfield fulcrum. 9 PL goals this season. Box-to-box dominance.
Luka Modrić	Croatia	AC Milan	40	Final World Cup for the 2018 Golden Ball winner. Defying age at the highest level.
Federico Valverde	Uruguay	Real Madrid	27	Complete midfielder — tackles, drives, scores. Uruguay's most dynamic player.

Defenders & Goalkeepers

Player	Team	Club	Age	Why Watch
William Saliba	France	Arsenal	25	One of the world's best centre-backs. Anchors France's defence.
Achraf Hakimi	Morocco	PSG	27	Explosive full-back. Key to Morocco's 2022 semifinal run. PSG captain.
Joško Gvardiol	Croatia	Manchester City	24	Elite centre-back who also threatens going forward. Croatia's defensive pillar.
Alisson	Brazil	Liverpool	33	Widely considered the world's best goalkeeper. Brazil's #1.

Full squad rosters by team

Official 26-man squads will be announced in late May 2026. Until then, projected squads based on the latest call-ups are available on each team's page.

Player storylines to follow

Final World Cup?

The 2026 tournament may be the last for several of football's greatest ever players. Cristiano Ronaldo (41) will become the first man to play in six World Cups. Luka Modrić (40) leads Croatia one last time. Son Heung-min (33) aims to lead South Korea beyond the group stage in what is almost certainly his farewell. And the question on everyone's mind: will Lionel Messi (38) get the call from Argentina for one final tournament?

Rising stars

A new generation is ready to announce itself on the biggest stage. Lamine Yamal (Spain, 18) was the breakout star of Euro 2024 at just 16 and is now a core player for the world's #1 ranked team. Estêvão (Brazil, 19) has been Ancelotti's most exciting attacking option. Endrick (Brazil, 19) carries enormous expectations. Florian Wirtz (Germany, 23) and Jamal Musiala (Germany, 23) power the German revival under Nagelsmann.

World Cup debutants

Erling Haaland will play his first-ever World Cup match after Norway qualified for the first time since 1998. He scored 16 goals in 8 qualifiers and enters the tournament as arguably the most feared striker on the planet. Other notable first-timers include Mohamed Salah (Egypt, if fit) and the entire squads of Haiti, Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan and Jordan.

Players ruled out

Rodrygo (Brazil, Real Madrid) is confirmed out with a long-term knee injury. Several other stars face races against time — this section will be updated as squad announcements are made in late May.

2026 Golden Boot contenders

The Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament's top goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé won the prize in 2022 with 8 goals — including a hat-trick in the final. Here are the players most likely to contend for the award in 2026.

Player	Team	WC Career Goals	Group Difficulty	Case for Winning
Kylian Mbappé	France	12 (in 2 tournaments)	Moderate (Group I)	Defending Golden Boot holder. 4 goals ahead of any active player at World Cups. France expected to go deep. Only 4 goals from Klose's all-time record of 16.
Erling Haaland	Norway	0 (debut)	Very hard (Group I — with France)	Scored 16 in 8 qualifiers. Lethal finisher. But Norway's tournament run may be short, limiting his games.
Harry Kane	England	8 (in 2 tournaments)	Manageable (Group L)	2018 Golden Boot winner. England favourites to top Group L. If they go deep, Kane will have plenty of chances.
Vinícius Júnior	Brazil	0	Moderate (Group C)	Brazil's main attacker. Playing under his club manager Ancelotti. A breakout tournament could put him in the race.
Lionel Messi	Argentina	13 (in 5 tournaments)	Manageable (Group J)	Second-most WC goals among active players. Argentina expected to dominate Group J. If called up and fit, always a threat.

All-time World Cup player records

Record	Player	Details
Most World Cup goals (all time)	Miroslav Klose (Germany)	16 goals across 4 tournaments (2002–2014)
Most goals in a single tournament	Just Fontaine (France)	13 goals at the 1958 World Cup
Most World Cup appearances	Lothar Matthäus (Germany)	25 matches across 5 tournaments (1982–1998)
Most World Cups played	Lionel Messi / Cristiano Ronaldo	5 each. Ronaldo set to become the first man to play 6 in 2026.
Most goals in World Cup finals	Kylian Mbappé (France)	4 goals — 1 in 2018 final, 3 in 2022 final
Youngest World Cup goalscorer	Pelé (Brazil)	17 years, 239 days — vs Wales, 1958 quarterfinal
Oldest World Cup goalscorer	Roger Milla (Cameroon)	42 years, 39 days — vs Russia, 1994 group stage
Most World Cup goals (active)	Lionel Messi (Argentina)	13 goals in 26 appearances
Fastest World Cup hat-trick	László Kiss (Hungary)	7 minutes — vs El Salvador, 1982
Most tournaments with a goal	Pelé / Ronaldo / Klose	4 different tournaments each

Kylian Mbappé enters the 2026 World Cup with 12 career goals — just 4 behind Klose's all-time record. If France reach the final, Mbappé could realistically surpass it.