FIFA has officially announced the squad regulations for the 2026 World Cup, confirming that nations will submit a final 26-player squad for the expanded tournament.
According to the guidelines released on Wednesday, teams must first name a preliminary list of between 35 and 55 players. The final 26-man squad must be submitted by the official deadline of June 2, 2026.
Crucially, any replacement for an injured player must be selected from the preliminary list. Injury swaps are permitted up to 24 hours before a team’s first match.
Additionally, goalkeepers can be replaced at any time due to injury, offering teams extra flexibility in the most specialised position.
The regulations give coaches like Ghana’s Carlos Queiroz a clear framework as they finalise preparations for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11. With the deadline looming, national teams across the globe are now racing to finalise their preliminary lists and make their final cuts.
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