Squad Lists Locked: All 48 Nations Confirm Final 26-Man Rosters as World Cup Nears

The picture for the **2026 World Cup** has come into sharp focus as all **48 qualified nations** locked in their final 26-man squads following FIFA's submission deadline, setting the rosters that will contest the expanded tournament.

With the deadline now behind them, every nation has confirmed its selections. From this point, changes are permitted only in cases of serious injury or illness, and only up to **24 hours before a team's opening match** — a narrow window that keeps fitness staff on high alert through the final days of preparation.

The cut-off crystallized weeks of agonizing decisions. Several high-profile names were left out through injury, including France's Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Brazil's Rodrygo (ACL) and Estêvão (hamstring), and Japan's Kaoru Mitoma. Others raced the clock and made it, a reminder that squad lists are as much about timing and medical bulletins as pure form.

This is the first World Cup featuring **48 teams**, up from 32, and the first hosted by three nations — the United States, Mexico and Canada. The larger field means more debutants, deeper rosters and a longer group stage, raising the stakes on every selection decision managers have just finalized.

With rosters set, attention now turns fully to the pitch. The opening match — **Mexico against South Africa on June 11** — is just over a week away, and the squads confirmed this week are the ones that will write the tournament's story.