Tag: FIFA World Cup 2026

LONDON: FIFA World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons.

AFP Sport looks at five of the contenders to become the game’s next superstar this year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada:

Nico Paz (Argentina)

The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions in FIFA World Cup 2026 despite being born and raised in Spain.

A rising star in the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished over the past two years working under Cesc Fabregas since moving to Como in Italy.

Madrid are reportedly set to exercise their buyback option on the 21-year-old.

His technical ability and eye for goal from range has alerted Europe’s other top clubs.

Paz could have the daunting task of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expected to manage the 38-year-old’s minutes during the champions’ title defense in the FIFA World Cup.

Desire Doue (France)

Doue has already lit up the biggest stage in club football, winning the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan last year.

But this will be the 20-year-old’s first taste of a major international tournament.

Doue has a battle just to ensure he starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling display of attacking talent that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his quality with his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over Colombia in France’s last outing in March.

Nico O’Reilly (England)

O’Reilly, 21, has already earned the trust of Pep Guardiola to become a regular for Manchester City.

Scorer of two goals from left-back in City’s League Cup final win over Arsenal in March, O’Reilly began his career as a goalscoring midfielder.

Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, speed and skill as an attacking weapon from deep and may have solved a problem position for England coach Thomas Tuchel in the process.

England reached the final of Euro 2024 without a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament due to Luke Shaw’s lack of fitness.

“What a player,” said Guardiola. “He has made an incredible step up and he has had a lot of minutes, but he deserves it.”

Endrick (Brazil)

A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid before his18th birthday, Endrick’s hopes of shining at the World Cup have been rekindled by a successful loan move at French club Lyon.

Endrick burst onto the international scene by scoring the winner against England at Wembley two years ago and becoming Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo in the process.

Relegated behind international team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his big move to Madrid two years ago, the 19-year-old has found his scoring touch since his switch to France in January.

Often compared to another Brazilian great Romario for his squat but powerful physique, Endrick will be hoping to recreate the former’s success in scoring five goals as Brazil won the World Cup on US soil in 1994.

Pedri (Spain)

Spain’s latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to be a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for both club and country.

After first rising to prominence as an 18-year-old at Euro 2020, Pedri was key to Spain’s run to conquering Europe two years ago in Germany, but injury prevented him from featuring in the semi-finals and final.

For Barcelona, he has put his fitness troubles behind him under Hansi Flick, playing a starring role in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the past two seasons.

READ: Iran’s World Cup football team leaves for Turkey: media

Iran’s national football team was headed to Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match and apply for visas to fly to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, Iranian media reported.

The team plan to participate in the tournament despite co-host Washington having launched a war against Iran with a massive wave of attacks alongside ally Israel on February 28.

The fighting has been on hold for weeks thanks to a ceasefire, but peace talks have failed to make a breakthrough and new drone attacks against Gulf countries at the weekend, combined with threats from US President Donald Trump, raised fears of a return to fighting.

The team “departed this morning for Antalya, Turkey to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup,” the Tasnim news agency reported.

It said the squad consisted of 22 domestic-based players alongside their coaching staff.

On Saturday, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said they would also be completing visa applications for the US while in Turkey.

Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then, the United States has twice launched attacks on the country.

US officials have insisted that Iran is welcome at the tournament, while organiser FIFA has said it will go ahead as planned and rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.

“I think let ’em play,” Trump said in late April.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any problem would not be with Iranian players but “some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them”, suggesting they may have ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation.

Last month, officials from Iran’s football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.

One of their delegation, Mehdi Taj, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group.

The Iranian football team hope to play two friendlies in Antalya.

They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.

“No visas have been issued yet,” Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, told Iranian media on Thursday.

On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the federation, describing it as constructive, as did Taj.

When the squad reaches the United States, Iran will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona.

The team, who are in Group G, are due to kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.

READ: Mushfiqur Rahim creates history with record-breaking century against Pakistan

Star striker Son Heung-min has been named to lead the South Korea squad at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, marking his fourth participation in this prestigious tournament.

Son will turn 34 in July, and is currently playing for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer (MLS), having left Tottenham Hotspur and the English Premier League (EPL) a year ago.

He heads an experienced Korean squad that also features Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Lee Kang-in, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan.

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South Korea have been drawn in Group A with co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Africa. They will play all their first-round games in Mexico and take on the Czechs in their opener on June 11.

Besiktas striker Oh Hyeon-gyu was also included in coach Hong Myung-bo’s 26-man squad, along with Celtic’s Yang Hyun-jin and Birmingham’s Paik Seung-ho.

German-born Jens Castrop of Borussia Moenchengladbach also made the cut.

South Korea squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk)

Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)

Midfielders: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC/), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besitkas), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)

READ: Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 revealed

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has officially confirmed that “Dai Dai,” featuring Colombian singer Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy, will be the official song for the World Cup 2026.

The announcement was made on Friday, with FIFA describing the track as a celebration of football, culture and global unity through music.

The release marks Shakira’s return to football’s biggest stage more than a decade after her iconic 2010 World Cup anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), widely regarded as one of the most memorable songs in tournament history.

“Dai Dai” blends multiple musical influences, including Afrobeats, dance-pop, reggaetón and world beats to create an energetic and uplifting soundtrack ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The nearly four-minute track also carries motivational themes aimed at players and football fans around the world.

FIFA confirmed that the song has been released across major global streaming platforms, while proceeds from royalties will contribute to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which supports educational initiatives worldwide.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by the United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico from
11 Jun to 19 July.

READ: Pakistan fined for slow over-rate in first Bangladesh Test

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood was named on Thursday to lead New Zealand squad at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where they will chase a first-ever win in their third tournament appearance.

Prolific striker Wood, who has scored 45 goals in 88 matches for the All Whites, will captain the lowest-ranked team at the tournament.

Wood and defender Tommy Smith are the only members of the 26-man squad who also played in their most recent World Cup appearance, in South Africa in 2010.

New Zealand drew all three matches at that tournament and failed to advance through the group phase. In their only other World Cup visit, they lost all three group matches in Spain in 1982.

The 85th-ranked New Zealand earned direct World Cup entry by winning the Oceania qualifying series in March.

“It’s been a long time, 16 years, since we’ve been in the World Cup,” Wood said via video link at the squad announcement in Auckland.

“I can’t wait to share the moment with this team and hopefully create some history. I hope that we can do everybody proud and show the world what we’re capable of.”

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Coach Darren Bazeley made one surprise selection in veteran defender Tommy Smith, who started all three matches in South Africa 16 years ago.

The 36-year-old now plays in the fifth tier of English football, for Braintree Town, but Bazeley said the former England age-group player’s wisdom would be invaluable.

“With a squad of 26, not everybody is going to play,” Bazeley said.

“So we added Tommy because his leadership is great. He’s going to be so important for the players keeping everybody on track. We’ll lean on him a lot.”

Bazeley said Wood and European-based midfielders Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic, Matt Garbett and Ryan Thomas will be key players.

Ten of the squad play in the Australian A-League competition, including eight at the league’s two New Zealand clubs, Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix.

Their first opponents in Group G are Iran in Los Angeles on June 15, before games against Egypt and Belgium.

New Zealand squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

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

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

Midfielders: Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets), Joe Bell (Viking FK), Matt Garbett (Peterborough United), Ben Old (AS Saint-Etienne), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Marko Stamenic (Swansea City), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle)

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Elijah Just (Motherwell FC), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg IF), Jesse Randall (Auckland FC), Ben Waine (Port Vale FC), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

READ: Injured Mitoma fails to make Japan’s squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said that his side lost “a major presence” in Kaoru Mitoma after he was forced to leave the injured winger out of his FIFA World Cup 2026 squad on Friday.

Mitoma missed the cut after medical staff decided he did not have enough time to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered during Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League last weekend.

The 28-year-old is one of Japan’s best players and scored the winner in their 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March.

Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.

Moriyasu became teary-eyed as he discussed the players missing from his 26-man squad in front of around 300 reporters in Tokyo, but said they have enough strength in depth to cope.

“I think everyone who has watched Japan play can see that Mitoma is a major presence in the team,” he said.

“But last year we played Brazil in a friendly, and we beat them for the first time, and Mitoma wasn’t available to play in that game.

“That reflects the team concept, that anyone can come into the lineup and the team still performs.”

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Kaoru Mitoma played a key role in Japan’s shock wins over Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they eventually lost on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.

“This will hurt him more than it hurts anyone,” Moriyasu said. “I hope once he gets over this, he will recover as quickly as possible and get back to playing with total freedom.”

Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also missed out after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in late December.

Ajax’s Takehiro Tomiyasu made the squad despite not having played for Japan since June 2024 because of injuries.

Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo were all included.

Wolfsburg’s Kento Shiogai, who won his first cap in Japan’s 1-0 win over Scotland in Glasgow in March, also made the cut.

Notably, defender Yuto Nagatomo was included for what will be his fifth World Cup at the age of 39.

Moriyasu has said Japan are aiming to win the World Cup and he was in no mood to change his mind despite Mitoma’s absence.

“The World Cup is a special stage, but that doesn’t mean we’ll do things any differently,” he said. “I believe the World Cup is an extension of the process we’ve followed up to now, and I tell the players that the process is what matters most.”

Japan squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

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

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), Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen)

Midfielders/forwards: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Koki Ogawa (NEC), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Ao Tanaka (Leeds United), Keito Nakamura (Reims), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg), Kento Shiogai (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden)

READ: Kylian Mbappe whistled as Real Madrid beat Oviedo

Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier missed out as France revealed their 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico.

Kylian Mbappe will spearhead France at the World Cup after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday announced his squad. Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup glory in 2018, will leave his role after the 2026 edition.

“It’s a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together,” Deschamps told French TV channel TF1.

“The overriding and essential criterion (for selection) is a sporting one,” the 57-year-old later explained to journalists.

Mbappe will likely captain the team from the get-go despite a thigh injury sustained last month, which caused him to miss key matches in Real Madrid’s La Liga run-in.

The 27-year-old will be joined on the plane to North America by a range of attacking talent, including Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele and PSG’s Desire Doue, as well as Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise.

Rayan Cherki will make his World Cup debut. The 22-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a sparkling debut season at Manchester City, while his Premier League rival, William Saliba of Arsenal, will provide defensive solidity for Les Bleus.

Dayot Upamecano of Bundesliga champions Bayern will be expected to partner Saliba in the heart of the France defence, with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix also included.

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Full-back Lucas Hernandez and midfielder N’Golo Kante are, alongside Mbappe and Dembele, the sole survivors from Deschamps’ World Cup-winning squad from eight years ago in Russia.

Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser is the only uncapped player in the squad.

Notable absentees are Eduardo Camavinga as well as Lucas Chevalier, who has become the second choice at the Parc des Princes since his high-profile transfer from Lille last summer.

“I can imagine how disappointed he (Camavinga) must be,” Deschamps said. “He’s coming off a tough season where he didn’t play as much and suffered injuries. (But) I’ve got decisions to make and a squad to put together.”

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike will also not be a part of the squad after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in April.

“It’s been part of my life for 14 years running. But if people are worried, I’m not retiring. I’ll have a life of my own. The World Cup is the most important thing,” Deschamps said of announcing his seventh and final France squad for a major international tournament.

France will start their Group I campaign against Senegal on June 16, before playing Iraq and Norway.

France squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

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

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

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

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

READ: Brazil renew Carlo Ancelotti contract until 2030

Chelsea forward Estevao is set to miss the FIFA World Cup 2026 after reportedly being excluded from Brazil’s 55-man preliminary squad for the tournament.

According to ESPN, the teenager failed to make the expanded squad submitted by the Brazil football team ahead of the World Cup in North America.

Estevao’s participation in the tournament had been under serious doubt after suffering a muscle injury in his right thigh during Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League defeat against Manchester United on April 18.

Reports suggest there was initial optimism that the 19-year-old could recover in time for what would have been his first World Cup appearance.

However, medical staff from both Chelsea and Brazil were reportedly unable to guarantee the winger’s full recovery before the tournament.

Sources further claimed the player himself had accepted that his World Cup hopes were fading and appeared visibly disappointed when he recently arrived at former club Palmeiras for treatment.

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Despite Estevao’s omission, veteran forward Neymar was included in Brazil’s preliminary squad as he continues his push for a fourth World Cup appearance.

The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals, had previously been left out of every squad named by head coach Carlo Ancelotti since the Italian took charge in June.

Teams participating in the FIFA World Cup were required to submit preliminary 55-player squads by Monday, with final 26-man squads to be selected from those lists closer to the tournament.

Before suffering the injury, Estevao had been widely considered a certain selection for Brazil, particularly with Ancelotti reportedly a strong admirer of the youngster.

The highly rated attacker joined Chelsea from Palmeiras last summer in a deal worth £29 million and has scored eight goals in 36 appearances across all competitions since arriving in England.

READ: Australia reveal squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

Iran’s football federation said on Saturday that the men’s national team will take part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer, but demanded that the joint hosts, the United States of America (USA), Mexico and Canada, agree to its conditions amid the Middle East war.

The call comes after Canada refused entry to the federation’s chief last month before the FIFA Congress because of his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of Iran’s military, which it designated as a terror group in 2024.

Iran’s presence at the tournament, which will take place between June 11 and July 19, has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel.

“We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the hosts must take our concerns into account,” the Iranian federation said on its official website.

“We will participate in the World Cup tournament, but without any retreat from our beliefs, culture, and convictions.”

The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) president, Mehdi Taj, told state TV on Friday that Tehran has 10 conditions for attending the global spectacle, seeking assurances over the country’s treatment.

The conditions include visas being granted and respect for the national team staff, the team’s flag and its national anthem during the tournament, as well as demands for high security at airports, hotels and routes to the stadiums where they will play.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that Iran’s footballers would be welcome at the tournament.

But he warned that the US may yet bar entry to members of the Iranian delegation with ties to the IRGC, which it also designates as a terrorist organisation.

“All players and technical staff, especially those who have served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, such as Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi, should be granted visas without any problems,” said Iranian football chief Taj.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has reiterated that Iran will play their World Cup games in the United States as scheduled.

Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup 2026, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

“No external power can deprive Iran of its participation in a cup to which it has qualified with merit,” the Iranian federation said on Saturday.

READ: Real Madrid fine Tchouameni and Valverde 500,000 euros over bust-up

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has voiced his support for former Barcelona and PSG teammate Neymar, insisting the Brazilian star still deserves a place in Brazil’s squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 despite ongoing injury and fitness concerns.

Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals, has not represented the national side since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023.

Since returning to Santos FC last year, the 33-year-old has struggled to regain rhythm and consistency.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti, however, has repeatedly kept the door open for Neymar’s return and recently stated that the forward still has time to prove his fitness ahead of the tournament.

Speaking on the Lo del Pollo show, Messi stressed that players of Neymar’s calibre should always be considered for football’s biggest stage.

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“We want the best players to be there and Neymar, no matter his form, will always be one of them,” Messi said. “It would be wonderful to see him at the World Cup because of what he means to Brazil and to football.”

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also named Brazil among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup, alongside reigning champions Argentina, as well as Spain and France.

“I still believe Brazil is always a contender and has the players necessary to compete for the title in any major tournament,” he added.

Messi, who famously guided Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, is expected to feature in what could be his final appearance at the global event.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by the United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on June 11.

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