With less than five weeks until the start of the FIFA World Cup in North America, soccer fans are counting down the days until the squad for the 48 participating nations is announced.
Whether they are a supporter of the national team or a neutral football enthusiast, they will be curious to know who will be shortlisted: their favorite players, the world’s biggest stars or surprise additions.
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The tournament, expanded to 48 teams, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and will take on South Africa on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca.
When are the important dates for squad announcements before the World Cup?
May 11th: Preliminary team list
National teams must submit a list of at least 35 players and no more than 55 players, including four goalkeepers, by May 11.
The provisional release list can include up to 75 team officials, including coaches, team doctors, and team managers.
This longlist serves as the official pool of players eligible for the tournament, and FIFA requires that any injury substitutions made before the tournament must be made from this list.
Several players have already been withdrawn from the tournament due to injury, including Brazil’s Rodrigo and Eder Militao. The likes of Egyptian forward Mo Salah and Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal are currently rehabbing from recent hamstring injuries, but are expected to be fit in time for the World Cup.
The Provisional Release List is for internal use only and will not be published by FIFA.
The global governing body said that in exceptional cases, changes may be made to the provisional release list until a final release list is submitted.
May 25: Club releases player
Clubs are required to send players on international duty by May 25th, which means that a period of “rest, forced release and preparation” for the World Cup will begin after the club’s last competitive game on May 24th.
Subject to FIFA approval, an exception will apply for clubs whose players will take part in the finals of the UEFA Champions League (May 30), UEFA Conference League (May 28) and CONCACAF Champions Cup (May 30).
June 1: Last day for team submissions
National teams must submit a final list of 23 to 26 players between May 25 and June 1, three of whom must be goalkeepers.
FIFA states that a player or goalkeeper can only be replaced by a provisional team player “in case of serious illness or illness within 24 hours before the team’s first match.”
An expanded roster of 23 players has been introduced for the Qatar 2022 World Cup and beyond to give the team more flexibility due to injuries and fatigue.
June 2: Member announcement by FIFA
FIFA has announced that it will announce the final list of 48 participating teams on June 2nd.
“National teams are allowed to announce their squads at any time, but they will not be considered official until FIFA approves them on June 2,” FIFA said.
What are the conditions for player substitutions or team changes?
Players included in the final squad submitted to FIFA may only be replaced by players on the provisional release list in case of serious injury or illness and only up to 24 hours before the kick-off of the team’s first match of the tournament.
Subject to acceptance of the injured player’s medical evaluation by the FIFA medical team leader, no exceptions will be granted without FIFA approval.
The goalkeeper of the final team may be replaced by another goalkeeper of the provisional team in case of serious injury or illness at any time during the tournament.
When will all World Cup teams arrive in the US, Canada, and Mexico?
According to FIFA regulations for the World Cup, teams must arrive in their respective host countries at least five days before the first group match.
How many players will be on the World Cup roster?
Each country can nominate 26 players to their team list, bringing the total number of soccer players participating in the tournament to a whopping 1,248.
What are the main tournament dates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The tournament will consist of one group stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.
Unlike previous competitions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, four quarterfinal matches, and two semifinal matches.
Here is a stage-by-stage breakdown of the tournament schedule:
Group Stage: June 11th June 27th
Round of 32: June 28th to July 3rd
Round 16: July 4-7
Quarterfinals: July 9th-11th
Semi-finals: July 14th-15th
Bronze medal match: July 18th
Last day: July 19th
