Category: Featured

KANSAS CITY: Argentina captain Lionel Messi added another remarkable chapter to his legendary career on Tuesday, equalling the all-time men’s FIFA World Cup scoring record with a sensational hat-trick in his side’s tournament opener against Algeria.

The 38-year-old forward struck three times to move level with German great Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, placing himself at the summit of the competition’s all-time scoring charts.

Messi, who is featuring in a record sixth FIFA World Cup, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a long-range effort that gave Argentina control of the contest.

He doubled his tally shortly after the hour mark with a close-range finish before completing his hat-trick in the 76th minute, sparking wild celebrations among Argentina supporters in Kansas City.

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The three-goal performance saw Messi overtake Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario, who scored 15 World Cup goals, and move alongside Klose, whose record had stood alone since the 2014 tournament.

The latest milestone came just hours after France striker Kylian Mbappe had climbed the rankings with a brace of his own.

Mbappe moved past Messi’s pre-match tally of 13 goals to reach 14, drawing level with German icon Gerd Müller. However, Messi’s hat-trick dramatically reshuffled the standings and restored him to the top of the all-time list.

Most goals in FIFA World Cup history 

• Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 16
• Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16
• Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15
• Kylian Mbappe (France) – 14
• Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14
• Just Fontaine (France) – 13

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In addition to matching Klose’s record, Messi also became the oldest player ever to score both a brace and a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup match.

The previous record for the oldest World Cup hat-trick scorer belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted three times for Portugal against Spain at the 2018 World Cup at the age of 33 years and 130 days.

READ: Zidane Iqbal becomes first footballer of Pakistani heritage to play at World Cup

NEW YORK: Kylian Mbappe’s brace fired France to an emphatic 3-1 opening win over Senegal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I clash at New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday.

Real Madrid star Mbappe took his career World Cup goals tally to 14 –just two behind all-time leader Miroslav Klose- and Bradley Barcola was also on target as Les Bleus secured all three points for Didier Deschamps’ side.

Mbappe darted across the penalty area to convert a brilliant Michael Olise pass on 66 minutes to break the deadlock in a contest in which France struggled badly in the first half, but came to life after the break.

Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain then came off the bench to get the second late on, before his club colleague Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in stoppage time for Senegal.

But Mbappe saved the best for last, as he blasted in from long range in the 96th minute to seal the win, and become France’s all-time top scorer with 58 goals.

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The decision by coach Didier Deschamps to move Olise infield from the right wing was crucial in swinging the game the way of the two-time World Cup winners.

But it is Mbappe who grabbed the spotlight in what turned out to be a memorable 99th appearance for his country.

Mbappe renewed his extraordinary love affair with the World Cup, in which he scored in the 2018 final as France won, and netted a stunning hat-trick in their defeat on penalties to Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar.

The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker’s double took him past Pele’s 12 and overtook the 13 of Lionel Messi and fellow Frenchman Just Fontaine.

He is now level with Gerd Mueller in the overall list, with only Klose and the Brazilian Ronaldo (15) still ahead of him.

France, one of the pre-tournament favourites, will be expected to build on this to ease into the last 32, with outsiders Iraq up next before a meeting with Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Deschamps, in his last tournament before he steps down after 14 years in charge, has been wary of overconfidence in his talented squad.

Opponents Senegal served as a warning from the past -– France went into the 2002 World Cup as holders and favourites, but lost 1-0 to the Lions of Teranga in their opening game and never recovered, going out in the group stage without scoring a goal.

Senegal showed how strong they are before a packed house of 80,545 in a game played in bright sunshine with the skyscrapers of Manhattan in the distance.

Catch all FIFA World Cup 2026 live updates here!

A team led by veteran forward Sadio Mane, and featuring four starters born in France, were playing their first competitive game since the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco in January.

Pape Thiaw’s side won that in extra time, but were later stripped of their title for a walk-off protest by several players during the match. Their appeal into that is ongoing.

They were the better team in the first half, as Nicolas Jackson almost scored on the break on 25 minutes when he broke away and hit the post, before the ball ricocheted off goalkeeper Mike Maignan and went just wide.

Ismaila Sarr then put a glorious chance over the bar in first-half stoppage time, and Senegal were to regret that.

Olise and Ousmane Dembele switched positions at the interval, with the reigning Ballon d’Or moving right and leaving the area through the middle behind Mbappe to the Bayern man.

Suddenly, France came to life, with Olise being denied by Edouard Mendy and then setting up Mbappe for a chance that was saved.

France thought they had a penalty on the hour mark when Mbappe went down under a Mane challenge, but referee Alireza Faghani opted not to award a spot-kick after a review.

It didn’t matter, as Olise continued to tear apart the opposition and slipped in Mbappe for the opener.

It was a superb goal, and France struck again when Adrien Rabiot released substitute Barcola to run through and score.

Mbaye got one back on 95 minutes, but Mbappe had the last word.

READ: Neymar back in training with Brazil at FIFA World Cup 2026

Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal is set to make history by becoming the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The former Manchester United midfielder could achieve the landmark when Iraq face Norway on Tuesday, marking a proud moment for Pakistan.

Born and raised in England, the 23-year-old traces his Pakistani roots through his father and grandfather.

He shed light on his sporting journey in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, revealing that he was surprised to learn he is of Pakistani heritage.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself,” he told BBC Sport.

“I followed the account that posted it [that he was the first player of Pakistani heritage to play at a men’s World Cup] and sent it to my dad straight away. I think we were both surprised. When I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I didn’t think of anything like this,” he added.

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He credited his Pakistani-origin father for playing a key role in his career.

“My dad is Pakistani. He’s my father, the man I respect the most in my life, who helped me so much in my career,” he remarked.

“I play for Iraq, grew up in England, but my dad was born in Pakistan. My grandad was a first-generation there, so I have a lot of respect for that side of my family.”

Iqbal also revealed that he wears the Pakistani and Iraqi flags on his shoes as a tribute to both sides of his heritage.

“I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side,” he explained. “I think that’s because I respect both sides.”

Iqbal expressed hope that his achievement would inspire youngsters, particularly those of South Asian heritage, to pursue a career in football despite the challenges involved.

“I’m still young, but I’ll be the first Pakistani player to play in the World Cup, so hopefully a few kids that aspire to be a footballer will look at that and believe they can do it too, because football is a hard journey,” he revealed.

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He acknowledged that becoming a professional footballer is not easy and stressed that success requires commitment and hard work.

“I think if you ask any professional, it’s not easy at all, and everyone has their ups and downs,” Iqbal noted.

“A lot of commitment and hard work is needed. So hopefully when kids see people trying to be a professional footballer, or me, they see those of South Asian heritage or even of any heritage, that you can make it from any background, any area, wherever you’re from, any religion. Hopefully they see that, and it inspires them,” he concluded.

READ: FIFA World Cup: Ghana head to Canada court over Thomas Partey visa row

ATLANTA: Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has emerged as one of the early stars of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after producing a sensational performance to help his side secure a goalless draw against European champions Spain at Atlanta Stadium on Monday.

The 40-year-old shot-stopper was the standout performer in Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup game, making seven crucial saves to deny Spain and earn the Player of the Match award. His display quickly went viral across social media, leaving football fans around the world asking the same question: Who exactly is Vozinha?

Born Josimar José Evora Dias, Vozinha’s name is actually a nickname rather than his real surname.

The moniker, which means “little granny” in Portuguese, comes from the grandparents who raised him during his childhood while his father served in the military and his mother worked.

“The nickname is because of my grandparents,” Vozinha explained in an interview with FIFA earlier this year.

“I never lived with my parents. When I was born, my father was in military service, and my mother had to work, so I always grew up with my grandparents.”

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Speaking about why he uses Vozinha on the back of his shirt, the goalkeeper revealed the name has followed him throughout his career.

“When I arrived in Angola, there was another goalkeeper named Josimar, and I said, ‘I am not going to put Josimar II on the shirt’. If everyone knew me as Vozinha in Cape Verde, that’s what I would be,” he said.

The veteran goalkeeper repeatedly came to Cape Verde’s rescue as the Spanish side dominated possession and created numerous chances.

Vozinha denied several Spanish stars, including Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte, with a series of outstanding saves, particularly in the closing stages of the first half. His efforts helped Cape Verde claim a valuable point against one of the tournament favourites.

The emotional significance of the result was evident at the final whistle as Vozinha broke down in tears while being embraced by teammates after the historic draw.

“Very proud. For me, it is an honour for me to represent my country,” Vozinha told reporters. “We are from a small country. Our qualification was very difficult in a group with Cameroon and Libya, but we knew if we followed the plan of the coach, we had a great chance to qualify.

“The dream came true. We competed against Spain, one of the best teams in the world. We are very happy and proud of all the players and people of Cape Verde.”

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The experienced goalkeeper currently plays for Chaves in Portugal’s second division and has enjoyed a lengthy career spanning multiple countries.

He began his club journey in Cape Verde with Batuque FC before representing CS Mindelense, Progresso in Angola, Zimbru Chisinau in Moldova, Gil Vicente in Portugal, AEL Limassol in Cyprus and AS Trencin in Slovakia.

His international career has been equally impressive. Vozinha made his debut for Cape Verde 14 years ago and has since earned more than 80 caps for the Blue Sharks.

He has represented his country in four Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments before making his World Cup debut against Spain.

Moreover, his heroics against Spain have transformed him into an overnight sensation. According to reports, his Instagram following skyrocketed from around 500,000 to more than five million within hours of the final whistle.

With Group H also featuring Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde still face a difficult road ahead. However, thanks to Vozinha’s unforgettable display against Spain, the Blue Sharks have already produced one of the standout stories of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

READ: Greed or player health? World Cup hydration breaks spark debate

Japan fans left the stands spotless after their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium in Texas on Sunday, saying it was “Japanese culture” to tidy up after themselves.

Spectators stayed behind after the 2-2 draw to make sure they left the stadium as they found it, meticulously picking up litter and stuffing it into blue plastic bags.

It is a habit first learned at primary school, and Japan fan Eita Tanaka told AFP that “we have to think about everyone”.

“Japanese people think that when we use a certain place, we were told that you have to make that place look tidier when you leave than it was when you arrived,” said the 20-year-old, clasping a beer and a couple of cups, and wearing Japan’s blue shirt.

“For example, at school in our classrooms we tidy it up after ourselves without our teacher telling us.”

Japan are appearing at their eighth straight FIFA World Cup, and their fans’ cleanliness has become their international calling card.

NFL quarterback Jameis Winston could even be seen joining in the clean-up after Sunday’s game, wearing a blue Japan shirt with his name on the back.

Japan fan Futo Hagiwara said he was proud that the behaviour of his countrymen had been recognised in a positive light.

“This is our culture, that means everywhere we go we need to clean it after ourselves, it’s our spiritual way, our attitude,” he said.

Sociologist and philosopher Masachi Ohsawa believes a mix of social responsibility and peer pressure is behind the fans’ behaviour.

“While Japanese people tend not to take much interest in justice on a large scale, issues like global inequality, conflict or climate change, they are extremely sensitive to moral considerations on a smaller scale,” he said.

“When it comes to people who they share the same space with or have direct personal contact with, they feel a strong desire not to cause them any trouble or make them feel uncomfortable.”

In Japan, cleaning chores are integrated into the education system from a young age, with children seen daily scrubbing floors and tables at schools.

Public waste bins are rare in the country, so people are expected to take their garbage home with them. Disposing of household waste can be a complex process, as it involves sorting rubbish into various categories.

Scott North, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Osaka, said he and his neighbours get together twice a year to pull out weeds and rake up cuttings.

Catch all FIFA World Cup 2026 live updates here!

He said such groups are organised into leaders and followers, and operate in a similar way to Japanese football supporters.

“Since everyone comes together, there’s an expectation that they’ll act as a group,” said North, an American who has lived in Japan for about 40 years. “And when the leaders break out the bags and say here you go, nobody is going to say no.”

Sociologist Ohsawa said such behaviour could be explained by what Japanese people refer to as “reading the air”.

“In Japan, even if one person starts picking up litter, those around them feel they simply cannot help but join in,” he said. “That’s because if they don’t, the people they are with will think they are a bad person.”

He said peer pressure was a powerful social force.

“In this case, the primary motivation isn’t so much a desire to keep the stadium clean or to avoid causing trouble for the people who have to clean the stadium afterwards,” he said. “It’s more a desire not to be seen as a nuisance in one’s own group.”

Whatever the reasons, Japan’s fans will continue to clean up as long as their team remains in the tournament. Their next match is against Tunisia in Mexico on Saturday, and once again, Japan fans are expected to clean up the stadium.

Fan Hagiwara is eager to continue leading by example.

“We usually don’t tell children they should do it,” he said. “We just show our actions and behaviour, and other people follow.”

READ: Somali referee Omar Artan to receive full World Cup fee

The wait is almost over as the FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to get underway in North America in a few hours, ushering in a historic new era for international football.

Co-hosted by the United States of America (USA), Mexico and Canada, the 23rd edition of the tournament will be the largest World Cup ever staged, featuring 48 teams and a record 104 matches across 16 venues.

The tournament begins on June 11 with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium.

While the match is scheduled to start at 1pm local time (19:00 GMT), football fans in Pakistan will need to stay up late, with kickoff set for 12:00 AM PST on June 12.

Catch all FIFA World Cup 2026 live updates here!

The expanded format means more teams, more matches and a packed 39-day schedule running through to the final on July 19.

Defending champions Argentina arrive in North America looking to retain the trophy they won in Qatar four years ago, while traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, France, England, Spain and Germany will also be among the favourites for football’s biggest prize.

With most matches taking place across North American time zones, supporters in Pakistan and across South Asia are expected to follow many fixtures during late-night and early-morning hours.

The tournament’s new structure divides the 48 participating nations into 12 groups of four teams each.

FIFA World Cup 2026 groups

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic

Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

A total of 104 matches will be played before the world champions are crowned, making the 2026 edition the most extensive and ambitious World Cup in history.

Below is the complete FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule in Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

Full schedule of FIFA World Cup 2026

Group stage

Friday, June 12

• Mexico vs South Africa — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City — 12:00 AM PKT
• South Korea vs Czechia — Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan — 7:00 AM PKT

Saturday, June 13

• Canada vs Bosnia — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 12:00 AM PKT
• USA vs Paraguay — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 6:00 AM PKT

Sunday, June 14

• Qatar vs Switzerland — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 12:00 AM PKT
• Brazil vs Morocco — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 3:00 AM PKT
• Haiti vs Scotland — Boston Stadium, Boston — 6:00 AM PKT
• Australia vs Turkiye — BC Place, Vancouver — 9:00 AM PKT
• Germany vs Curacao — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Monday, June 15

• Netherlands vs Japan — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 1:00 AM PKT
• Ivory Coast vs Ecuador — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 4:00 AM PKT
• Sweden vs Tunisia — Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe — 7:00 AM PKT
• Spain vs Cape Verde — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 9:00 PM PKT

Tuesday, June 16

• Belgium vs Egypt — BC Place, Vancouver — 12:00 AM PKT
• Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay — Miami Stadium, Miami — 3:00 AM PKT
• Iran vs New Zealand — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 6:00 AM PKT

Wednesday, June 17

• France vs Senegal — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 12:00 AM PKT
• Iraq vs Norway — Boston Stadium, Boston — 3:00 AM PKT
• Argentina vs Algeria — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 6:00 AM PKT
• Austria vs Jordan — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 9:00 AM PKT
• Portugal vs DRC — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Thursday, June 18

• England vs Croatia — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 1:00 AM PKT
• Ghana vs Panama — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 4:00 AM PKT
• Uzbekistan vs Colombia — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City — 7:00 AM PKT
• Czechia vs South Africa — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 9:00 PM PKT

Friday, June 19

• Switzerland vs Bosnia — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 12:00 AM PKT
• Canada vs Qatar — BC Place, Vancouver — 3:00 AM PKT
• Mexico vs South Korea — Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan — 6:00 AM PKT

Saturday, June 20

• USA vs Australia — Seattle Stadium, Seattle — 12:00 AM PKT
• Scotland vs Morocco — Boston Stadium, Boston — 3:00 AM PKT
• Brazil vs Haiti — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 5:30 AM PKT
• Turkiye vs Paraguay — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 8:00 AM PKT
• Netherlands vs Sweden — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Sunday, June 21

• Germany vs Ivory Coast — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 1:00 AM PKT
• Ecuador vs Curacao — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 5:00 AM PKT
• Tunisia vs Japan — Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe — 9:00 AM PKT
• Spain vs Saudi Arabia — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 9:00 PM PKT

Monday, June 22

• Belgium vs Iran — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 12:00 AM PKT
• Uruguay vs Cape Verde — Miami Stadium, Miami — 3:00 AM PKT
• New Zealand vs Egypt — BC Place, Vancouver — 6:00 AM PKT
• Argentina vs Austria — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 10:00 PM PKT

Tuesday, June 23

• France vs Iraq — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 2:00 AM PKT
• Norway vs Senegal — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 5:00 AM PKT
• Jordan vs Algeria — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 8:00 AM PKT
• Portugal vs Uzbekistan — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Wednesday, June 24

• England vs Ghana — Boston Stadium, Boston — 1:00 AM PKT
• Panama vs Croatia — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 4:00 AM PKT
• Colombia vs DRC — Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan — 7:00 AM PKT

Thursday, June 25

• Switzerland vs Canada — BC Place, Vancouver — 12:00 AM PKT
• Bosnia vs Qatar — Seattle Stadium, Seattle — 12:00 AM PKT
• Scotland vs Brazil — Miami Stadium, Miami — 3:00 AM PKT
• Morocco vs Haiti — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 3:00 AM PKT
• Czechia vs Mexico — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City — 6:00 AM PKT
• South Africa vs South Korea — Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe — 6:00 AM PKT

Friday, June 26

• Ecuador vs Germany — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 1:00 AM PKT
• Curacao vs Ivory Coast — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 1:00 AM PKT
• Japan vs Sweden — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 4:00 AM PKT
• Tunisia vs Netherlands — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 4:00 AM PKT
• Turkiye vs USA — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 7:00 AM PKT
• Paraguay vs Australia — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 7:00 AM PKT

Saturday, June 27

• Norway vs France — Boston Stadium, Boston — 12:00 AM PKT
• Senegal vs Iraq — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 12:00 AM PKT
• Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia — Houston Stadium, Houston — 5:00 AM PKT
• Uruguay vs Spain — Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan — 5:00 AM PKT
• Egypt vs Iran — Seattle Stadium, Seattle — 8:00 AM PKT
• New Zealand vs Belgium — BC Place, Vancouver — 8:00 AM PKT

Saturday, June 28

• Panama vs England — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 2:00 AM PKT 
• Croatia vs Ghana — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 2:00 AM PKT 
• Colombia vs Portugal — Miami Stadium, Miami — 4:30 AM PKT 
• DRC vs Uzbekistan — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 4:30 AM PKT
• Algeria vs Austria — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 7:00 AM PKT 
• Jordan vs Argentina — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 7:00 AM PKT 

Round of 32

Monday, June 29

• Round of 32 Match 1 — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 12:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 2 — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Tuesday, June 30

• Round of 32 Match 3 — Boston Stadium, Boston — 1:30 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 4 — Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe — 6:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 5 — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 10:00 PM PKT

Wednesday, July 1

• Round of 32 Match 6 — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 2:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 7 — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City — 6:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 8 — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 9:00 PM PKT

Thursday, July 2

• Round of 32 Match 9 — Seattle Stadium, Seattle — 1:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 10 — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco — 5:00 AM PKT

Friday, July 3

• Round of 32 Match 11 — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 12:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 12 — Toronto Stadium, Toronto — 4:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 13 — BC Place, Vancouver — 8:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 14 — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 11:00 PM PKT

Saturday, July 4

• Round of 32 Match 15 — Miami Stadium, Miami — 3:00 AM PKT
• Round of 32 Match 16 — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 6:30 AM PKT

Round of 16

Saturday, July 4

• Round of 16 Match 1 — Houston Stadium, Houston — 10:00 PM PKT

Sunday, July 5

• Round of 16 Match 2 — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia — 2:00 AM PKT

Monday, July 6

• Round of 16 Match 3 — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 1:00 AM PKT
• Round of 16 Match 4 — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City — 5:00 AM PKT

Tuesday, July 7

• Round of 16 Match 5 — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 12:00 AM PKT
• Round of 16 Match 6 — Seattle Stadium, Seattle — 5:00 AM PKT
• Round of 16 Match 7 — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 9:00 PM PKT

Wednesday, July 8

• Round of 16 Match 8 — BC Place, Vancouver — 1:00 AM PKT

Quarter-finals

Friday, July 10

• Quarter-final 1 — Boston Stadium, Boston — 1:00 AM PKT

Saturday, July 11

• Quarter-final 2 — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles — 12:00 AM PKT

Sunday, July 12

• Quarter-final 3 — Miami Stadium, Miami — 1:00 AM PKT
• Quarter-final 4 — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City — 6:00 AM PKT

Semi-finals

Wednesday, July 15

• Semi-final 1 — Dallas Stadium, Dallas — 12:00 AM PKT

Thursday, July 16

• Semi-final 2 — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta — 12:00 AM PKT

Third-Place Match

Sunday, July 19

• Third-Place Match — Miami Stadium, Miami — 2:00 AM PKT

Final

Monday, July 20

• Final — New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey — 12:00 AM PKT

READ: World Cup 2026 opening ceremony: Pakistan time, date, performer list

The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has entered its final phase, with all 48 participating nations officially confirming their squads for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Teams were required to submit their final player lists by June 2, with FIFA regulations allowing each nation to register between 23 and 26 players, including a minimum of three goalkeepers.

The upcoming edition will be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams for the first time and bringing together many of the world’s biggest stars as nations prepare to compete for football’s most prestigious prize.

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Under FIFA rules, only players included in the final squad submissions will be eligible to participate in the World Cup.

However, teams may replace a selected player in the event of a serious injury or illness, provided the change is made no later than 24 hours before their opening World Cup match.

Below are the finalized squads for all 48 nations participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Group A

Mexico

Goalkeepers: Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Raul Rangel (Chivas).

Defenders: Edson Alvarez (Fenerbahce), Israel Reyes (America), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Mateo Chavez (AZ Alkmaar).

Midfielders: Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Brian Gutierrez (Chivas), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Luis Romo (Chivas), Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (AEK).

Forwards: Alexis Vega (Toluca), Armando Gonzalez (Chivas), César Huerta (Anderlecht), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas), Julian Quinones (Al Qadisiyah), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan).

Manager: Javier Aguirre

South Africa

Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwele), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Defenders: Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire), Ime Okon (Hannover), Samukele Kabini (Molde), Khulumani Ndamane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Kamogelo Sebelebele (Orlando Pirates), Bradley Cross (Kaizer Chiefs), Olwethy Makhanya (Philadelphia Union).

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Jayden Adams (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Forwards: Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates), Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates), Iqraam Rayners (Mamelodi Sundowns), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol), Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates).

Manager: Hugo Broos

South Korea

Goalkeepers: Hyeon-Woo Jo (Ulsan), Seung-Gyu Kim (FC Tokyo), Bum-Keun Song (Jeonbuk).

Defenders: Moon-Hwan Kim (Daejeon), Min-Jae Kim (Bayern Munich), Tae-Hyon Kim (Kashima Antlers), Jin-Seob Park (Zhejiang), Young-Woo Seol (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ki-Hyuk Lee (Gangwon), Tae-Seok Lee (Austria Wien), Han-Beom Lee (Midtjylland), Yu-Min Cho (Sharjah).

Midfielders: Jin-Gyu Kim (Jeonbuk), Jun-Ho Bae (Stoke), Seung-Ho Paik (Birmingham), Hyun-Jun Yang (Celtic), Ji-Sung Eom (Swansea), Kang-In Lee (Paris Saint-Germain), Dong-Gyeong Lee (Ulsan), Jae-Sung Lee (Mainz), In-Beom Hwang (Feyenoord), Hee-Chan Hwang (Wolves).

Forwards: Heung-Min Son (LAFC), Hyeon-Gyu Oh (Besiktas), Gue-Sung Cho (Midtjylland).

Manager: Myung-Bo Hong

Czechia (Czech Republic)

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Olympique Lyonnais), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).

Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

Manager: Miroslav Koubek

Group B

Canada

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Barnsley), Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami).

Defenders: Moise Bombito (Nice), Derek Cornelius (Rangers), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Luc de Fougerolles (Dender EH), Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough), Richie Laryea (Toronto), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed (Norwich), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Mathieu Choiniere (LAFC), Stephen Eustaquio (LAFC), Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Ismael Kone (Sassuolo), Liam Millar (Hull), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto), Nathan-Dylan Saliba (Anderlecht), Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC).

Forwards: Jonathan David (Juventus), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal).

Manager: Jesse Marsch

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo).

Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens).

Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV).

Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke).

Manager: Sergej Barbarez

Qatar

Goalkeepers: Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Mahmoud Abunada (Al Rayyan), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd).

Defenders: Hashmi Hussein (Al Arabi), Ayoub Alawi (Al Gharafa), Boualem Khoukhi (Al Sadd), Pedro Miguel (Al Sadd), Issa Laaye (Al Arabi), Lucas Mendes (Al Wakrah), Sultan Al-Brake (Al Duhail), Homam Al-Amin (Cultural Leonesa).

Midfielders: Mohammed Al-Manai (Al Shamal), Jassem Jaber (Al Arabi), Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail), Ahmed Fathi (Al Arabi), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan), Assim Madibo (Al Wakrah).

Forwards: Tahseen Mohammed (Al Duhail), Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Youssef Abdulrazzaq (Al Wakrah), Ahmed Alaa (Al Rayyan), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al Sadd), Ahmed Al-Janahi (Al Gharafa).

Manager: Julen Lopetegui

Switzerland

Goalkeepers: Marvin Keller (Young Boys), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient).

Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan), Aurele Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt), Eray Comert (Valencia), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Luca Jaquez (Stuttgart), Miro Muheim (Hamburg), Ricardo Rodriguez (Real Betis), Silvan Widmer (Mainz).

Midfielders: Michel Aebischer (Pisa), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Ardon Jashari (AC Milan), Johan Manzambi (Freiburg), Fabian Rieder (Augsburg), Djibril Sow (Sevilla), Ruben Vargas (Sevilla), Granit Xhaka (Sunderland), Denis Zakaria (Monaco).

Forwards: Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Breel Embolo (Rennes), Cedric Itten (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Dan Ndoye (Nottingham Forest), Noah Okafor (Leeds).

Manager: Murat Yakin

Group C

Brazil

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Danilo (Flamengo), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Douglas Santos (Zenit St Petersburg), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain)

Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo), Ederson (Atalanta).

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Neymar (Santos), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Manager: Carlo Ancelotti

Morocco

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Munir Mohamedi (RS Berkane), Ahmed Tagnaouti (Royal Armed Forces).

Defenders: Noussair ⁠Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Issa Diop (Fulham), Redouane Halhal (KV Mechelen), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk).

Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub ⁠Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), ​Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV).

Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), ​Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Yassine Gessime (Strasbourg), Ayoub Amaimouni-Echghouyabe (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Manager: Mohamed Ouahbi

Haiti

Goalkeepers: Johnny Placide (Bastia), Alexandre Pierre (Sochaux), Josue Duverger (FC Cosmos Koblenz).

Defenders: Carlens Arcus (Angers), Wilguens Pauguain (Zulte Waregem), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs), Martin Experience (Nancy), Jean-Kevin Duverne (Gent), Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito), Hannes Delcroix (Lugano), Keeto Thermoncy (Young Boys).

Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (Vizela), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolves), Pierre Woodenski (Violette), Dominique Simon (Tatran Presov).

Forwards: Louicius Deedson (Dallas), Ruben Providence (Almere City), Josue Casimir (Auxerre), Derrick Etienne (Toronto), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal), Frantzdy Pierrot (Caykur Rizespor), Yassin Fortune (Vizela), Lenny Joseph (Ferencvaros).

Manager: Sebastien Migne

Scotland

Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers).

Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Hyam (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).

Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Tyler Fletcher (Man Utd), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli).

Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Rangers), Ross Stewart (Southampton).

Manager: Steve Clarke

Group D

USA

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution).

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergino Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic).

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry). Alejandro Zendejas (Club America).

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Paraguay

Goalkeepers: Roberto Junior Fernandez (Cerro Porteno), Orlando Gill (San Lorenzo), Gaston Olveira (Olimpia).

Defenders: Omar Alderete (Sunderland), Junior Alonso (Atletico Mineiro), Fabian Balbuena (Gremio), Juan Jose Caceres (Dinamo Moscow), Jose Canale (Lanus), Gustavo Gomez (Palmeiras), Alexandro Maidana (Talleres), Gustavo Velazquez (Cerro Porteno).

Midfielders: Damian Bobadilla (Sao Paulo), Gustavo Caballero (Portsmouth), Andres Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps), Matias Galarza (Atlanta United), Diego Gomez (Brighton), Mauricio Magalhaes (Palmeiras), Briaian Ojeda (Orlando City), Alejandro Romero (Al Ain).

Forwards: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United), Gabriel Avalos (Independiente), Alex Arce (Independiente Rivadavia), Julio Enciso (Strasbourg), Isidro Pitta (Bragantino), Antonio Sanabria (Cremonese), Ramon Sosa (Palmeiras).

Manager: Gustavo Alfaro

Australia

Goalkeepers: Maty Ryan (Levante), Paul Izzo (Randers), Patrick Beach (Melbourne City).

Defenders: Aziz Behich (Melbourne City), Jordan Bos (Feyenoord), Cameron Burgess (Swansea City), Alessandro Circati (Parma Calcio 1913), Milos Degenek (APOEL FC), Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK), Harry Souttar (Leicester City), Kai Trewin (New York City).

Midfielders: Cameron Devlin (Hearts), Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli FC), Aiden O’Neill (New York City), Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC).

Forwards: Nestory Irankunda (Watford), Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City), Awer Mabil (CD Castellón), Mohamed Toure (Norwich City), Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory), Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo), Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia).

Manager: Tony Popovic

Turkey

Goalkeepers: Ugurcan Cakir (Galatasaray), Altay Bayindir (Man Utd), Mert Gunok (Besiktas).

Defenders: Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton), Merih Demiral (Al Ahli), Zeki Celik (Roma), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Mert Muldur (Fenerbahce), Abdulkerim Bardakci (Galatasaray), Eren Elmali (Galatasaray), Caglar Soyuncu (Fenerbahce), Samet Akaydin (Rizespor).

Midfielders: Arda Guler (Real Madrid), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt), Orkun Kokcu (Besiktas), Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter), Ismail Yuksek (Fenerbahce), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund).

Forwards: Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Kerem Akturkoglu (Fenerbahce), Yunus Akgun (Galatasaray), Oguz Aydin (Fenerbahce), Deniz Gul (Porto), Irfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahce).

Manager: Vincenzo Montella

Group E

Germany

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nubel (Bayern Munich).

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle).

Midfielders: Pascal Gross (Brighton), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart).

Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Assan Ouédraogo (RB Leipzig), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle).

Manager: Julian Nagelsmann

Curacao

Goalkeepers: Tyrick Bodak (SC Telstar), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo), Eloy Room (Miami FC).

Defenders: Riechedly Bazoer (Konyaspor), Joshua Brenet (Kayserispor), Roshon van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Jurien Gaari (Abha Club), Armando Obispo (PSV), Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam).

Midfielders: Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Leandro Bacuna (Igdır), Livano Comenencia (FC Zurich), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Ar’Jany Martha (Rotherham), Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk).

Forwards: Jeremy Antonisse (AE Kifisia), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Kenji Gorre (Maccabi Haifa), Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough), Gervane Kastaneer (Terengganu FC), Brandley Kuwas (FC Volendam), Jurgen Locadia (Miami FC), Jearl Margaritha (SK Beveren).

Manager: Dick Advocaat

Ivory Coast

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Besiktas), Clement Akpa (Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray).

Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Porto), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (Maribor).

Forwards: Simon Adingra (Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Man Utd), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice).

Manager: Emerse Fae

Ecuador

Goalkeepers: Hernan Galindez (Huracan), Moises Ramirez (Kifisia), Gonzalo Valle (LDU Quito).

Defenders: Piero Hincapie (Arsenal), Willian Pacho (PSG), Pervis Estupinan (AC Milan), Felix Torres (Internacional), Joel Ordonez (Club Brugge), Jackson Porozo (Tijuana), Angelo Preciado (Atletico Mineiro).

Midfielders: Moises Caicedo (Chelsea), Alan Franco (Atletico Mineiro), Kendry Paez (River Plate, on loan from Chelsea), Pedro Vite (UNAM), Jordy Alcivar (Independiente del Valle), Denil Castillo (Midtjylland), Yaimar Medina (Genk).

Forwards: Enner Valencia (Pachuca), Kevin Rodriguez (Union Saint-Gilloise), Jordy Caicedo (Huracan), Nilson Angulo (Sunderland), Anthony Valencia (Antwerp), Jeremy Arevalo (Stuttgart).

Manager: Sebastian Beccacece

Group F

Netherlands

Goalkeepers: Bart Verbruggen (Brighton), Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland).

Defenders: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Nathan Ake (Man City), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Tijjani Reijnders (Man City), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Quinten Timber (Marseille), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Guus Til (PSV), Mats Weiffer (Brighton).

Forwards: Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Donyell Malen (Roma), Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Noa Lang (Galatasaray/Napoli), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Wout Weghorst (Ajax), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham).

Manager: Ronald Koeman

Japan

Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Zion Suzuki (Parma).

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden), Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Le Havre), Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen/Southampton), Junosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen).

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad).

Forwards: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Keito Nakamura (Reims), Ito Suzuki (Freiburg), Kento Shiode (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden).

Manager: Hajime Moriyasu

Sweden

Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson (Stoke), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (AIK), Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby).

Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds), Isak Hien (Atalanta), Emil Holm (Juventus), Gustaf Lagerbielke (Braga), Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa), Erik Smith (St Pauli), Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo), Elliot Stroud (Mjallby), Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Taha Ali (Malmo), Yasin Ayari (Brighton), Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham), Jesper Karlstrom (Udinese), Ken Sema (Pafos), Mattias Svanberg (Wolfsburg), Besfort Zeneli (Union St-Gilloise).

Forwards: Alexander Bernhardsson (Holstein Kiel), Anthony Elanga (Newcastle), Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic).

Manager: Graham Potter

Tunisia

Goalkeepers: Sabri ​Ben Hessen (Etoile Sahel), Abdelmouhib Chamakh (Club Africain), Aymen Dahman (CS Sfaxien).

Defenders: Ali Abdi (Nice), ​Adem Arous (Kasimpasa), ⁠Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Esperance), Dylan Bronn (Servette), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir), Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping), Omar Rekik (Maribor), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Young Boys).

Midfielders: Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich), Ismael Gharbi (Augsburg), ​Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ellyes ​Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Forwards: Elias Achouri (Copenhagen), Khalil Ayari (PSG), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain), Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), ​Elias Saad (Hannover), Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic).

Manager: Sabri Lamouchi

Group G

Belgium

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Man Utd), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg).

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club ⁠Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), ​Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston ​Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona).

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Man City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg), Alexis ‌Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

Manager: Rudi Garcia

Egypt

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna).

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids).

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Ovideo).

Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Man City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona).

Manager: Hossam Hassan

Iran

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor FC), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Sepahan), Payam Niazmand (Persepolis).

Defenders: Danial Eiri (Malavan), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Saleh Hardani (Esteghlal), Hossein Kanaani (Persepolis), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor FC), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Ali Nemati (Foolad FC), Ramin Rezaeian (Foolad FC).

Midfielders: Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Saeid Ezatolahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Mehdi Ghaedi (Al-Nasr), Saman Ghoddos (Kalba FC), Mohammad Ghorbani (Al-Wahda), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (FC Dender), Mohammad Mohebi (Rostov), Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia (Esteghlal), Mehdi Torabi (Tractor FC), Aria Yousefi (Sepahan).

Forwards: Ali Alipour (Persepolis), Dennis Dargahi (Standard Liège), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor FC), Mehdi Taremi (Olympiakos), Shahriar Moghanlou (Kalba FC).

Manager: Amir Ghalenoei

New Zealand

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Millwall), Alex Paulsen (Lechia Gdansk), Michael Woud (Auckland).

Defenders: Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), Francis De Vries (Auckland), Tyler Bindon (Nottingham Forest), Michael Boxall (Minnesota Utd), Liberato Cacace (Wrexham), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers), Callan Elliot (Auckland), Tommy Smith (Braintree Town).

Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking FK), Matt Garbett (Peterborough), Marko Stamenic (Swansea), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle).

Forwards: Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Eli Just (Motherwell), Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Ben Waine (Port Vale), Ben Old (Saint-Etienne), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg IF), Jesse Randall (Auckland), Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets).

Manager: Darren Bazeley

Group H

Spain

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Club), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona).

Defenders: Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Fabian Ruiz (PSG), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Gavi (Barcelona), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid).

Forwards: Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Victor Munoz (Osasuna).

Manager: Luis de la Fuente

Cape Verde

Goalkeepers: Vozinha (Chaves), Marcio Rosa (Montana), CJ dos Santos (San Diego).

Defenders: Stopira (Torreense), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers), Joao Paulo (FCSB), Diney (Al Bataeh), Logan Costa (Villarreal), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Wagner Pina (Trabzonspor), Sidny Lopes Cabral (Benfica), Kelvin Pires (SJK).

Midfielders: Jamiro Monteiro (PEC Zwolle), Kevin Pina (Krasnodar), Deroy Duarte (Ludogorets), Telmo Arcanjo (Vitoria Guimaraes), Laros Duarte (Puskas Akademia), Yannick Semedo (Farense).

Forwards: Ryan Mendes (Igdir), Garry Rodrigues (Apollon Limassol), Willy Semedo (Omonia), Jovane Cabral (Estrela Amadora), Gilson Tavares (Akron Tolyatti), Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia), Helio Varela (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Nuno da Costa (Istanbul Basaksehir).

Manager: Bubista

Saudi Arabia

Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ula), Nawaf Al Aqidi (Al Nassr), Ahmed Al Kassar (Al Qadsiah).

Defenders: Abdulelah Al Amri (Al Nassr), Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal), Jehad Thikri (Al Qadsiah), Ali Lajami (Al Hilal), Hassan Kadesh (Al Ittihad), Saud Abdulhamid (Lens, on loan from Roma), Mohammed Abu Al Shamat (Al Qadsiah), Ali Majrashi (Al Ahli), Moteb Al Harbi (Al Hilal), Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr), Sultan Al-Ghannam (Al Nassr).

Midfielders: Mohammed Kanno (Al Hilal), Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Nassr), Ziyad Al Johani (Al Ahli), Nasser Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Musab Al Juwayr (Al Qadsiah), Alaa Al Hajji (Neom), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Khalid Al Ghannam (Al Ettifaq), Ayman Yahya (Al Nassr).

Forwards: Firas Al Buraikan (Al Ahli), Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad), Abdullah Al Hamdan (Al Nassr).

Manager: Georgios Donis

Uruguay

Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet (Internacional), Fernando Muslera (Estudiantes), Santiago Mele (Monterrey).

Defenders: Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Santiago Bueno (Wolves), Sebastian Caceres (Club America), Mathias Olivera (Napoli), Joaquin Piquerez (Palmeiras), Matias Vina (Flamengo), Juan Manuel Sanabria (Real Salt Lake).

Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United), Emiliano Martinez (Palmeiras), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Agustin Canobbio (Fluminense), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Nicolas de la Cruz (Flamengo), Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos), Rodrigo Zalazar (Braga), Maxi Araujo (Sporting), Brian Rodriguez (Club America).

Forwards: Rodrigo Aguirre (Club America), Federico Vinas (Real Oviedo), Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal).

Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

Group I

France

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes).

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).

Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (AS Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG).

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Man City), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Desire Doue (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan).

Manager: Didier Deschamps

Senegal

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli), Mory Diaw (Le Havre AC), Yehvann Diouf (Nice).

Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht).

Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich).

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al Nassr), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (PSG), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor).

Manager: Pape Thiaw

Iraq

Goalkeepers: Fahad Talib (Al Talaba), Jalal Hassan (Al Zawraa), Ahmed Basil (Al Shorta).

Defenders: Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin), Manaf Younis, Mustafa Saadoon (Al Shorta), Ahmed Hassan Makenzie (Al Karma), Zaid Tahseen (Pakhtakor), Rebin Sulaka (Port), Akam Hashim (Al Zawraa), Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen), Zaid Ismail (Al Talaba), Frans Putros (Persib).

Midfielders: Amir Al-Ammari (Cracovia), Kevin Yakob (Aarhus GF), Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), Aimar Sher (Sarpsborg), Ibrahim Bayesh (Al Dhafra), Ahmed Qasem (Nashville SC), Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca), Marko Farji (Venezia).

Forwards: Ali Jassim (Al Najma), Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich), Ali Yousef (Al Talaba), Aymen Hussein (Al Karma), Mohanad Ali (Dibba).

Manager: Graham Arnold

Norway

Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland (Sevilla), Egil Selvik (Watford), Sander Tangvik (Hamburger).

Defenders: Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino), David Moller Wolfe (Wolves), Fredrik Bjorkan (Bodo/Glimt), Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford), Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna), Leo Skiri Ostigard (Genoa), Sondre Langas (Derby), Henrik Falchener (Viking).

Midfielders: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Sander Berge (Fulham), Fredrik Aursnes (Benfica), Patrick Berg (Bodo/Glimt), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo), Morten Thorsby (Cremonese), Thelo Aasgaard (Rangers).

Forwards: Erling Haaland (Man City), Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig), Oscar Bobb (Fulham), Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica), Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt).

Manager: Stale Solbakken

Group J

Argentina

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille).

Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Lisandro Martínez (Man Utd), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon).

Midfielders: Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors).

Forwards: Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid).

Manager: Lionel Scaloni

Algeria

Goalkeepers: Luca Zidane (Granada), Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Melvin Mastil (Stade Nyonnais).

Defenders: Aissa Mandi (Lille), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Mohamed Amine Tougai (Esperance de Tunis), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys), Rafik Belghali (Hellas Verona), Zineddine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Achref Abada (USM Alger), Samir Chergui (Paris FC).

Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Lille), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Houssem Aouar (Al Ittihad), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Yacine Titraoui (Charleroi).

Forwards: Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli), Mohamed Amoura (VfL Wolfsburg), Amine Gouiri (Marseille), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord), Adil Boulbina (Al Duhail), Nadhir Benbouali (Gyor), Fares Ghedjemis (Frosinone).

Manager: Vladimir Petkovic

Austria

Goalkeepers: Alexander Schlager (Red Bull Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzen), Patrick Pentz (Brondby).

Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche), Kevin Danso (Tottenham), Stefan Posch (Como), David Alaba (Real Madrid), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen), Michael Svoboda (Venezia).

Midfielders: Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Braga), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Patrick Wimmer (VfL Wolfsburg), Paul Wanner (PSV), Alessandro Schopf (Wolfsberger).

Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Red Star Belgrade), Michael Gregoritsch (Brondby), Sasa Kalajdzic (Wolve

Manager: Ralf Rangnick

Jordan

Goalkeepers: Yazeed Abulaila (Al Hussein), Abdallah Al-Fakhouri (Al Wehdat), Nour Bani Attiah (Al Faisaly).

Defenders: Ihsan Haddad (Al Hussein), Yazan Al-Arab (FC Seoul), Abdallah Nasib (Al Zawraa), Mohammad Abu Hashish (Al Karma), Saed Al-Rosan (Al Hussein), Husam Abu Dahab (Al Faisaly), Mo Abualnadi (Selangor), Salim Obaid (Al Hussein), Anas Badawi (Al Faisaly).

Midfielders: Rajaei Ayed (Al Hussein), Noor Al-Rawabdeh (Selangor), Ibrahim Sadeh (Al-Karma), Nizar Al-Rashdan (Qatar SC), Mohannad Abu Taha (Al Quwa Al Jawiya), Amer Jamous (Al Zawraa), Mohammad Al-Dawoud (Al Wehdat).

Forwards: Musa Al-Taamari (Rennes), Mahmoud Al-Mardi (Al Hussein), Ali Olwan (Al Sailiya), Mohammad Abu Zrayq (Raja Casablanca), Odeh Al-Fakhouri (Pyramids), Ibrahim Sabra (Lokomotiva Zagreb), Ali Azaizeh (Al Shabab).

Manager: Jamal Sellami

Group K

Portugal

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Silva (Sporting); Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi).

Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Man Utd); Matheus Nunes (Man City), Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahçe SK), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Renato Veiga (Villarreal); Ruben Dias (Man City); Tomas Araujo (Benfica).

Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samuel Costa (Mallorca), Joao Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), Bernardo Silva (Man City).

Forwards: Joao Felix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincao (Sporting), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Goncalo Ramos (PSG); Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr).

Manager: Roberto Martínez

DR Congo

Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege), Timothy Fayulu (Noah), Lionel ‌Mpasi (Le Havre).

Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika (Larisa), Rocky ⁠Bushiri (Hibernian), Gedeon Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Lodz), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur ⁠Masuaku (Racing Lens), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham).

Midfielders: Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Brian Cipenga (Castellon), Meshack ‌Elia (Alanyaspor), Gael Kakuta (Larisa), Edo ​Kayembe (Watford), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngal’ayel ‌Mukau (Lille), Charles Pickel (Espanyol), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland).

Forwards: Cedric ​Bakambu (Real Betis), Simon Banza (Al Jazira), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle).

Manager: Sebastien Desabre

Uzbekistan

Goalkeepers: Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor), Abduvohid Nematov (Nasaf), Botirali Ergashev (Neftchi).

Defenders: Rustam Ashurmatov (Esteghlal), Farrukh Sayfiev (Neftchi), Khojiakbar Alijonov (Pakhtakor), Sherzod Nasrullaev (Nasaf), Umar Eshmurodov (Nasaf), Abdukodir Khusanov (Man City), Abdulla Abdullaev (Dibba), Bekhruz Karimov (Surkhon), Jakhongir Urozov (Dinamo Samarqand), Avazbek Ulmasaliev (AGMK).

Midfielders: Otabek Shukurov (Baniyas), Jaloliddin Masharipov (Esteghlal), Odiljon Hamrobekov (Tractor), Oston Urunov (Persepolis), Jamshid Iskanderov (Neftchi), Dostonbek Khamdamov (Pakhtakor), Abbosbek Fayzullaev (İstanbul Basaksehir), Akmal Mozgovoy (Pakhtakor), Azizjon Ganiev (Al Bataeh), Sherzod Esanov (Bukhara).

Forwards: Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir), Igor Sergeev (Persepolis), Azizbek Amonov (Bukhara).

Manager: Fabio Cannavaro

Colombia

Goalkeepers: Camilo ⁠Vargas (Atlas), Alvaro Montero (Velez Sarsfield), David Ospina (Atletico Nacional).

Defenders: ​Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray), Jhon Lucumi (Bologna), Yerry Mina (Cagliari), Willer ​Ditta (Cruz Azul), Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace), Santiago Arias (Independiente), ​Johan Mojica (Mallorca), Deiver Machado (Nantes).

Midfielders: Richard Rios (Benfica), Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace), ⁠Kevin Castano (River Plate), Juan Camilo Portilla (Athletico Paranaense), Gustavo Puerta (Racing de Santander), Jhon Arias (Palmeiras), Jorge Carrascal (Flamengo), Juan Fernando Quintero (River ⁠Plate), James Rodriguez (Minnesota Utd), Jaminton ​Campaz (Rosario Central).

Forwards: Juan Camilo Hernandez (Real Betis), Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich), ​Luis Suarez (Sporting), Carlos Andres Gomez (Vasco da Gama), Jhon Cordoba (FC Krasnodar).

Manager: Nestor Lorenzo

Group L

England

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City).

Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).

Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal).

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Noni Madueke (Arsenal).

Manager: Thomas Tuchel

Croatia

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull).

Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Man City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg).

Midfielders: Luka Modric (AC Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Man City), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg), Petar Sucic (Inter Milan), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka).

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (PSV Eindhoven), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Orlando City), Petar Musa (Dallas), Igor Matanovic (Freiburg).

Manager: Zlatko Dalic

Ghana

Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Joseph Anang (St Patrick’s Athletic).

Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Nice), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre), Derrick Luckassen (Pafos).

Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester).

Forwards: Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atalanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Man City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Club), Jordan Ayew (Leicester).

Manager: Carlos Queiroz

Panama

Goalkeepers: Luis Mejia (Nacional), Orlando Mosquera (Al Fayha), Cesar Samudio (Marathon).

Defenders: Eric Davis (Plaza Amador), Fidel Escobar (Saprissa), Michael Amir Murillo (Besiktas), Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz), Andres Andrade (LASK), Cesar Blackman (Slovan Bratislava), Jose Cordoba (Norwich), Jiovany Ramos (Puerto Cabello), Jorge Gutierrez (Deportivo La Guaira), Edgardo Farina (Pari Nizhny Novgorod).

Midfielders: Anibal Godoy (San Diego), Alberto Quintero (Plaza Amador), Yoel Barcenas (Mazatlan), Adalberto Carrasquilla (UNAM), Jose Luis Rodriguez (Juarez), Cristian Martinez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona), Cesar Yanis (Cobresal), Carlos Harvey (Minnesota Utd), Azarias Londono (Universidad Catolica).

Forwards: Jose Fajardo (Universidad Catolica), Ismael Diaz (Leon), Cecilio Waterman (Universidad de Concepcion), Tomas Rodriguez (Saprissa).

Manager: Thomas Christiansen

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named 49 players for training camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), including the ace duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

The PCB revealed the names in a press release, confirming that players who featured in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia will feature in the red-ball camp from 15 June, which will continue until 15 July.

Of the 49 players selected, 22 have been named in the red-ball and 27 in the white-ball camp. The camps comprise a mix of experienced international cricketers and emerging domestic performers.

“The players who were part of the recently concluded ODI series against Australia and have been selected for the Red-Ball Camp will join the camp from 15 June,” the board said in a statement.

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“The NCA White-Ball Camp will commence on Monday, 15 June and continue until Friday, 18 September. Twenty-seven players will take part in the camp,” it added.

According to the board, the camps are designed to provide players with adequate preparation time for forthcoming international and domestic events. During the training period, players will fine-tune their skills under the supervision of national and NCA coaches, including one-on-one sessions.

In addition, PCB medical staff will monitor the players’ fitness and overall conditioning.

This will be the second occasion in recent months that the PCB has called up players for a training camp, with a similar camp having been held before the Bangladesh and Australia series.

22 Red-Ball Camp Players:

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Abrar Ahmed, Ali Usman, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Obaid Shah, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shahzad Gul and Shan Masood

27 White-Ball Camp Players :

Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Farhan Yousaf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Muhammad Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Rohail Nazir, Saad Baig, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Sameer Minhas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed to be replaced by legendary batter as head coach: sources

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan is likely to replace Sarfaraz Ahmed as the national Test head coach, with reports on Saturday indicating a major change in the team’s coaching setup following recent poor results.

According to sources, Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was appointed Test head coach in April this year, could be removed from his position after a disappointing start to his tenure.

The former captain kicked off his tenure with a two-match away Test series against Bangladesh, which was part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Pakistan endured a 2-0 series whitewash in Bangladesh, marking their second consecutive Test series defeat against the same opposition and intensifying scrutiny over the team’s direction in red-ball cricket.

Following the back-to-back losses, further reports have suggested wider changes within the setup, including possible decisions on leadership roles, with Shan Masood’s captaincy also reportedly under review.

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Sources indicate that Younis Khan, one of Pakistan’s most respected batters and a former captain, is the leading candidate to take over the Test coaching role.

He is also expected to be included in the national team’s selection committee, adding another layer of influence to the restructuring process.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, however, is expected to continue working with the Pakistan Shaheens setup despite the potential change in his senior coaching responsibilities.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet officially confirmed any changes, but discussions around restructuring the coaching and selection framework are reportedly ongoing.

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MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav in a sweeping selection overhaul.

The decision comes amid Suryakumar’s dip in batting form, despite him leading India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

He was dropped from the T20I side altogether after managing mere 242 runs in nine World Cup innings at a strike rate of 136.72 and enduring a modest IPL 2026 campaign with 270 runs in 13 matches at 20.76 average.

Iyer, meanwhile, returned to the T20I setup after a long absence, having last played in the format in December 2023. His appointment is backed by strong leadership credentials in franchise cricket, including guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title and leading both Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

His recent batting numbers further strengthened his case, with 604 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07, followed by 498 runs in IPL 2026 at 168.81.

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Moreover, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden call-up to the senior T20I squad after a blistering IPL season, during which he topped the run charts, amassing 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five half-centuries.

India will begin the new T20I era under Iyer with two matches in Ireland on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match series in England from July 1 to 11.

The BCCI named a 16-member squad for the Ireland and England tours, which will be trimmed to 15 for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.

Jasprit Bumrah is set to replace Mohammed Siraj in the Asian Games squad, while Prince Yadav will miss out. The rest of the group remains unchanged.

India T20I squad for Ireland, England series: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Mohammed Siraj, Prince Yadav.

India T20I squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.

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