Monday, May 18, 2026
Home / Sports / FIFA World Cup rosters: Neymar makes Brazil's 26-m...
Sports

FIFA World Cup rosters: Neymar makes Brazil's 26-man squad; Chelsea's Joao Pedro misses out

CN
CitrixNews Staff
·
FIFA World Cup rosters: Neymar makes Brazil's 26-man squad; Chelsea's Joao Pedro misses out
FIFA World Cup rosters: Neymar makes Brazil's 26-man squad; Chelsea's Joao Pedro misses out By May 18, 2026 at 5:44 pm ET • 10 min read neymar.jpg Getty Images

The road to the 2026 World Cup is almost over as the 48 teams that will participate in the most-awaited soccer tournament in the world are now in the process of announcing their rosters. Some big names have already been announced, and Neymar is the latest. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti named the 34-year-old superstar to the squad in the most anticipated part of his announcement on Monday.

"I want to be clear, clean and honest. He will play if he deserves to play," Ancelotti said of Neymar, who left Europe for an unsuccessful spell in Saudi Arabia in 2023 before returning to boyhood club Santos last year. "We have training and training to decide who will play. I have an idea of who could be the starting lineup at this moment, but we have to see how they train later, how they are prepared, what physical and mental condition they have to be in the starting lineup. I think it's important not to set an expectation that someone on whether one plays. Each one (on the team) must prioritize to help the team win the cup. I only want players available to help the team win games."  

The associations that have yet to announce must provide FIFA with their final squads of between 23 and 26 players, including at least three goalkeepers. A player on the final list can be replaced by a player from the preliminary list in the event of a serious injury or illness no later than 24 hours before the team's first match at the World Cup, while a goalkeeper in the final squad may be replaced by another goalkeeper from the preliminary squad in the event of a serious injury or illness at any time during the World Cup.

We'll keep track of all the official squads for you as they get announced below.

Group A 

Mexico: TBA

Korea Republic: 

  • Goalkeepers: Song Bumkeun (Jeonbuk), Jo Hyeonwoo (Ulsan), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo)
  • Defenders: Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), Lee Hanbeom (Midtjylland), Park Jinseob (Zhejiang FC), Lee Kihyuk (Gangwon), Kim Minjae (Bayern Munich), Kim Moonhwan (Daejeon), Kim Taehyeon (Kashima Antlers), Lee Taeseok (Austria Wien), Seol Youngwoo (Crvena Zvezda), Cho Yumin (Sharjah)
  • MidfieldersLee Donggyeong (Ulsan), Hwang Heechan (Wolves), Yang Hyunjun (Celtic), Hwang Inbeom (Feyenoord), Lee Jaesung (FSV Mainz), Kim Jingyu (Jeonbuk), Eom Jisung (Swansea), Bae Junho (Stoke), Lee Kangin (PSG), Paik Seungho (Birmingham)
  • Forwards: Cho Guesung (Midtjylland), Son Heungmin (LAFC), Oh Hyeongyu (Besiktas)

South Africa: TBA

Czechia: TBA

Group B

Canada: TBA

Qatar: TBA

Switzerland: TBA

Bosnia and Herzegovina: 

  • Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (FC St. Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka) Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)
  • Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nikola Katic (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Nidal Celik (Lens)
  • Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher SC), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Ivan Basic (Astana), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Kerim Alajbegovic (Red Bull Salzburg), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec)
  • Forwards: Edin Dzeko (Schalke 04), Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj)

Group C

Brazil:

  • Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)
  • Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Wesley (Roma)
  • Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ahli), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)
  • Forwards: Endrick (Lyon/Real Madrid), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Neymar (Santos), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)

Morocco: TBA

Haiti:

  • Goalkeepers: Johny Placide (Bastia), Alexandre Pierre (Sochaux), Josue Duverger (Cosmos Koblenz)
  • Defenders: Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito), Carlens Arcus (Angers), Martin Experience (Nancy), Jean-Kevin Duverne (Gent), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC), Wilguens Paugain (Zulte Waregem), Hannes Delcroix (Lugano), Keeto Thermoncy (Young Boys)
  • Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (Vizela), Danley Jean Jacques (Philadelphia Union), Carl Sainte (El Paso Locomotive FC), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Woodensky Pierre (Violette), Dominique Simon (Tatran Presov)
  • Forwards: Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal), Frantzdy Pierrot (Caykur Rizespor), Derrick Etienne Jr. (Toronto FC), Louicius Deedson (FC Dallas), Ruben Providence (Almere City), Josue Casimir (Auxerre), Yassin Fortune (Vizela), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland), Lenny Joseph (Ferencvaros)

Scotland: TBA

Group D

United States: TBA

Australia: TBA

Paraguay: TBA

Turkiye: TBA

Group E

Germany: TBA

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 Eindhoven), 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 United), Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk)
  • Forwards: Jeremy Antonisse (AE Kifisia), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Kenji Gorré (Maccabi Haifa), Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough), Gervane Kastaneer (Terengganu FC), Brandley Kuwas (FC Volendam), Jurgen Locadia (Miami FC), Jearl Margaritha (SK Beveren)

Ecuador: TBA

Cote d'Ivoire: 

  • Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
  • Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Clement Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Racing Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossonou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
  • Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Christ Oulai (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor)
  • Forwards: Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice)

Group F

Netherlands: TBA

Japan: 

  • Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Aya 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 AC), Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen), Junosuke Suzuki (FC 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 United), Kaishu Sano (Mainz 05), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)
  • Forwards: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Keito Nakamura (Stade de Reims), Ito Suzuki (SC Freiburg), Kento Shiode (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden)

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 Geneva), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir), Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping), Omar Rekik (NK Maribor), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Young Boys Berne)
  • Midfielders: Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City), Ismael Gharbi (FC Augsburg), Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt)
  • Forwards: Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen), Khalil Ayari (Paris St Germain), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain), Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), Elias Saad (Hannover 96), Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic)

Sweden: 

  • Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson (Stoke City), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (AIK), Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby County)
  • Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds United), 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 United), Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic)

Group G

Belgium: 

  • Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg)
  • Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting), 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 (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

Egypt: TBA

Iran: TBA

New Zealand: 

  • Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Millwall), Alex Paulsen (Lechia Gdansk, on loan from Bournemouth), Michael Woud (Auckland FC)
  • Defenders: Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), Francis de Vries (Auckland FC), Tyler Bindon (Nottingham Forest), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United), Liberato Cacace (Wrexham), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland FC), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers), Callan Elliot (Auckland FC), Tommy Smith (Braintree Town)
  • Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking FK), Matthew Garbett (Peterborough United), Marko Stamenic (Swansea City), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Ben Old (Saint-Étienne), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg IF), Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle)
  • Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Eli Just (Motherwell), Jesse Randall (Auckland FC), Ben Waine (Port Vale), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

Group H

Saudi Arabia: TBA

Uruguay: TBA

Spain: TBA

Cabo 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)

Group I

France:

  • Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)
  • Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St-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 (Fenerbache), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris St-Germain)
  • Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Paris St-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Man City), Ousmane Dembele (Paris St-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris St-Germain), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Jean-Phillipe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Marcus Thuram (Inter)

Senegal: TBA

Norway: TBA

Iraq: TBA

Group J

Algeria: TBA

Argentina: TBA

Austria:

  • Goalkeepers: Patrick Pentz (Brondby), Alexander Schlager (RB Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Pilsen)
  • Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche), David Alaba (Real Madrid), Kevin Danso (Tottenham), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Stefan Posch (Mainz), Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), Michael Svoboda (Venezia)
  • Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Braga), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Alessandro Schopf (RZ Pellets WAC), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg)
  • Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Red Star Belgrade), Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK)

Jordan: TBA

Group K

Colombia: TBA

Portugal: TBA

Uzbekistan: TBA

DR Congo: 

  • Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege), Timothy Fayulu (Noah), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre)
  • Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika (Larisa), Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian), Gedoon Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Lodz), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur Masuaku (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 United)

Group L

England: TBA

Croatia:

  • Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull City)
  • Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax Amsterdam), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg)
  • Midfielders: Luka Modric (AC Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg), Petar Sucic (Inter), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka)
  • Forwards: Ivan Perisic (PSV), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Orlando City), Petar Musa (Dallas), Igor Matanovic (Freiburg).

Panama: TBA

Ghana: TBA

Join the Conversation comments

Originally reported by CBS Sports