With the World Cup approaching, attention is increasingly turning towards the squad selections of the 48 participating nations. Supporters are eager to see which players will make the final lists and how teams are shaping their squads across defence, midfield and attack.
Barring any major injury setbacks, several leading footballers are widely expected to feature at the tournament, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. However, there remains uncertainty over the inclusion of several others, including Neymar, Estêvão and Cristian Romero.
The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on 11 June. The squad submission process starts one month earlier, although fans will not automatically have access to every nation’s preliminary squad unless those federations choose to publish them.
Under tournament regulations, there are several important dates relating to squad announcements and player eligibility.
World Cup squad timeline
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May | Preliminary squad deadline | Teams must submit a list of 35 to 55 players, including four goalkeepers |
| 25 May | Player release deadline | Clubs must release players for international duty |
| 1 June | Final squad submission deadline | Teams submit final squads of 23 to 26 players, including at least three goalkeepers |
| 2 June | Official squad publication | FIFA releases all 48 confirmed squads |
| 11 June | Tournament begins | Opening day of the World Cup |
By 11 May, all participating teams must submit a preliminary squad list to FIFA. Each list must contain a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 55 players, with four goalkeepers required.
This extended list serves as the official pool of eligible players for the tournament. According to FIFA rules, if a player is injured before the start of the competition, any replacement must come from this preliminary list. Players omitted from the initial submission will not be eligible to participate later.
Although national associations may publish these longer lists, FIFA itself will not release them publicly. This is because teams are permitted to make amendments to preliminary squads under special circumstances before final submissions are completed.
Players currently remain with their respective clubs and must be released for national team duty by 25 May. However, those involved in finals such as the UEFA Champions League on 30 May, the UEFA Conference League on 27 May, and the CONCACAF Champions Cup final on 30 May may remain with their clubs until those matches conclude, subject to FIFA approval.
Between 25 May and 1 June, national teams must submit their final squads. These lists must contain between 23 and 26 players, with at least three goalkeepers included.
FIFA has also stated that teams may replace players up to 24 hours before their first match in cases of serious injury or illness, provided the replacement player was already included in the preliminary squad.
On 2 June, FIFA will publish the official final squads of all 48 teams. Nations are free to announce their selections earlier, but such lists are not considered officially confirmed until FIFA approval.
Several nations are already expected to reveal their squads ahead of the deadline. Five-time world champions Brazil could announce their squad on 18 May, followed by Portugal on 19 May. Germany are expected to publish their list on 21 May, while England may do so on 22 May.
Spain could delay their announcement due to concerns over the fitness of Lamine Yamal, with reports indicating coach Luis de la Fuente may wait until 1 June before making a final decision.
Meanwhile, France, runners-up in the previous edition and champions in 2018, may unveil their preliminary squad as early as 13 May. No clear timeline has yet emerged regarding when reigning champions Argentina will announce their squad.
