By Adegboyega Adeleye
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, several countries have already taken major steps toward finalising their squads by unveiling provisional player lists ahead of the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Over 1,000 footballers are representing their nations at the global football tournament, where each team can name up to 26 players, including three goalkeepers. The preliminary list is the first selection of between 35 and 55 players, while the final squads will be between 23 and 26 players. According to FIFA, while teams can announce their squads at any time, they are not considered official until confirmed by FIFA on 2 June.
Bosnia and Herzegovina were the first team to announce their full squad on 11 May, the same day that Lionel Messi was named in the provisional squad of defending champions Argentina. Although reports surrounding potential squad announcements from countries such as Brazil and Spain continue to circulate online, no complete official provisional lists have been publicly confirmed by those federations at the moment.
Below is the full list of countries that have officially confirmed provisional squads for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina
– Key Players: Lionel Messi, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Rodrigo De Paul, Emiliano Martinez, Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolas Otamendi.
Argentina’s provisional list includes a mix of experienced stars and emerging talents, with Lionel Messi still expected to play a central role in their title defence in Lionel Scaloni’s team if fully fit.
Argentina (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid), Walter Benítez (Crystal Palace FC), Facundo Cambeses (Racing Club), Santiago Beltrán (River Plate)
Defenders: Agustín Giay (Palmeiras), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Nicolás Capaldo (Hamburger SV), Kevin Mac Allister (Union Saint Gilloise), Lucas Martínez Quarta (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (SL Benfica), Germán Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Getafe CF), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille), Marcos Acuña (River Plate), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais), Gabriel Rojas (Racing Club)
Midfielders: Máximo Perrone (Como 1907), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Guido Rodríguez (Valencia CF), Aníbal Moreno (River Plate), Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors), Alan Varela (FC Porto), (Ezequiel Fernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolás Domínguez (Nottingham Forest), Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa), Valentín Barco (RC Strasbourg)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás Paz (Como 1907), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atlético de Madrid), Tomás Aranda (Boca Juniors), Nicolás González (Atlético de Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Matías Soulé (AS Roma), Claudio Echeverri (Girona FC), Gianluca Prestianni (SL Benfica), Santiago Castro (Bologna FC), Lautaro Martínez (Internazionale), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Mateo Pellegrino (Parma Calcio)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
– Key Players: Edin Dzeko, Sead Kolasinac, Haris Tabakovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Amar Dedic.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have also officially unveiled their 26-man squad as preparations continue for their World Cup campaign.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (final)
Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (FC St. Pauli), Martin Zlomislić (HNK Rijeka), Osman Hadžikić (Slaven Belupo)
Defenders: Sead Kolašinac (Atalanta BC), Amar Dedić (SL Benfica), Nihad Mujakić (Gaziantep FK), Nikola Katić (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemović (US Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljić (HNK Rijeka), Dennis Hadžikadunić (UC Sampdoria), Nidal Čelik (Lens)
Midfielders: Amir Hadžiahmetović (Hull City), Ivan Šunjić (Pafos FC), Ivan Bašić (FC Astana), Dženis Burnić (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmić (FC Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirović (Bröndby IF), Amar Memić (FC Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigović (BSC Young Boys)
Forwards: Kerim Alajbegović (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarević (PSV Eindhoven), Ermedin Demirović (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukić (FC Universitatea Cluj), Samed Baždar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabaković (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Edin Džeko (Schalke 04)
Qatar
Julen Lopetegui’s side confirmed their provisional selection early as they continue building on the experience gained from hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The squad announcement reflects the country’s ongoing investment in developing a competitive national team capable of challenging bigger football nations.
Qatar (preliminary)
Goalkeepers: Shehab Elleithy (Al-Shahania SC), Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail SC), Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd SC), Mahmoud Abunada (Al-Rayyan SC)
Defenders: Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd SC), Pedro Miguel (Al-Sadd), Sultan Al Brake (Al-Duhail SC), Tarek Salman (Al-Sadd SC), Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain (Al-Arabi SC), Ayoub Al-Alawi (Al-Gharafa), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al-Duhail SC), Rayyan Al-Ali (Al-Gharafa), Issa Laye (Al-Arabi SC), Lucas Mendes (Al-Wakrah SC), Mohammed Waad (Al-Shamal SC), Niall Mason (Qatar SC)
Midfielders: Ahmed Fathi (Al-Arabi SC), Jassim Gaber (Al-Rayyan SC), Assim Madibo (Al-Wakrah SC), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan SC), Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail SC), Mohammed Mannai (Al-Shamal SC), Homam Al-Amin (Cultural Leonesa)
Forwards: Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail SC), Akram Afif (Al-Sadd SC), Tahsin Mohammed (Al-Duhail SC), Edmílson Junior (Al-Duhail SC), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al-Gharafa), Ahmed Alaa (Al-Rayyan SC), Sebastián Soria (Qatar SC), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Sadd SC), Mubarak Shannan (Al-Duhail SC), Mohammed Muntari (Al-Gharafa SC), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al-Wakrah SC)
Uzbekistan
–Key Players: Abdukodir Khusanov, Igor Sergeev, Odiljon Hamrobekov, Otabek Shukurov, Eldor Shomurodov.
Uzbekistan have also officially released their official 26-man squad ahead of what could be one of the biggest moments in the nation’s football history.
The Central Asian side, led by Fabio Cannavaro, continues to attract attention for its rapid football development and talented young generation.
Uzbekistan (final)
Goalkeepers: Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor), Abduvohid Nematov (Nasaf), Botirali Ergashev (Neftchi)
Defenders: Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City), Khojiakbar Alijonov (Pakhtakor), Farrukh Sayfiev (Neftchi), Rustam Ashurmatov (Esteghlal), Sherzod Nasrullaev (Pakhtakor), Umar Eshmurodov (Nasaf), Bekhruz Karimov (Surkhon), Mukhammadrasul Abdumazhidov (Pakhtakor), Jakhongir Urozov (Dinamo), Mukhammadkodir Khamraliev (Pakhtakor)
Midfielders: Akmal Mozgovoy (Baniyas), Otabek Shukurov (Baniyas), Jamshid Iskanderov (Neftchi), Odiljon Hamrobekov (Tractor), Azizjon Ganiev (Al Bataeh) Oston Urunov (Persepolis), Dostonbek Khamdamov (Pakhtakor), Alisher Odilov (Neftchi), Ibrokhim Ibragimov (Pakhtakor), Umarali Rakhmonaliev (Sabah)
Forwards: Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir), Igor Sergeev (Persepolis), Sherzod Temirov (Erbil)
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