FIFA has published the final squad lists for the FIFA World Cup 2026, confirming the 1,248 players who will represent the 48 participating nations.

The expanded tournament will feature a record 48 teams and 104 matches. Of the selected players, 357 have previously been named in World Cup squads, while 891 will be making their tournament debut.

Among the notable selections are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa, who are all set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance.

The oldest player in the tournament is Craig Gordon at 43 years and 162 days, while Gilberto Mora is the youngest at 17 years and 240 days. FIFA said 22 players under 20 and seven players aged 40 or above are included in the squads.

The expanded format has also enabled four nations to make their World Cup debuts: Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Players in the tournament come from 449 clubs across 71 countries. While some teams rely heavily on domestic-based players, countries including Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Uruguay, Cabo Verde, Curaçao and DR Congo have selected squads made up entirely of players based abroad.

For Ghana, head coach Carlos Queiroz will reach a milestone by managing at his fifth consecutive World Cup, becoming only the second coach after Bora Milutinović to achieve the feat.

FIFA also noted that squad replacements will only be allowed in cases of serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before a team’s opening match, unless special approval is granted.