Historic Mundial: FIFA Officially Announces Final Squads for FIFA World Cup 2026

As the world's eyes turn to the green pitches of North America, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has unveiled the biggest news that fans of the beautiful game have been eagerly awaiting. The prestigious organization has officially confirmed the final squads for the national teams participating in the 2026 World Cup.

This edition of the Mundial will go down in history not only for its scale but also for opening a new chapter in our football. According to FIFA's statement, a record-breaking 1,248 players across 48 national teams will compete for the planet's top prize. These figures demonstrate an unprecedented level of diversity and global reach in football history.

Uzbekistan on the stage of historic powers!

The importance of this competition for Uzbek sports and all our compatriots is immeasurable, because in this most prestigious tournament in the football world, the Uzbekistan national football team will take the field for the first time in its history! The expanded format has turned the dreams of millions like us into reality. Alongside us, the national teams of Cape Verde, Curaçao, and Jordan have also been registered as debutants.

The most exciting part of the article is that world football is now specifically recognizing our young stars. For example, alongside France's Warren Zaïre-Emery and Morocco's Bilal El Khannouss, the golden boy of Uzbek football, Abdukodir Khusanov has also been included in FIFA's official statement as one of the most anticipated representatives of the new generation for the 2026 World Cup. At this moment, the dreams in the hearts of the entire Uzbek people rest on the shoulders of these young men.

A display of experience and youth: When numbers speak

The 2026 World Cup rosters are full of unique and interesting statistics:

• The sixth voyage: Living legends Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), and the famous Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will take to the pitch to participate in their historic 6th World Cup of their careers.

• Continuity and renewal: While 357 players in the tournament have experienced the atmosphere of a Mundial before, for the remaining 891 players, this is their debut. Additionally, the squads include 22 players who have previously had the honor of being World Champions.

• Age limits: The oldest representative of the competition is Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon (43 years and 162 days old), while the youngest talent is Mexico's Gilberto Mora (17 years and 240 days old). In total, 22 players under 20 and 7 "veterans" over 40 have been registered.

Global clubs and coaching records

The geography of modern football is so vast that the participants of the 2026 World Cup represent 449 different clubs from 71 countries across the planet. These teams are distributed by continent as follows:

Interestingly, the styles of team formation also vary. For instance, 25 out of 26 players in the Qatar and Saudi Arabia national teams play in their local leagues. In complete contrast, the national teams of Cape Verde, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Curaçao, Senegal, and Uruguay consist entirely of legionnaires (players playing abroad).

King of coaches: A historic result was also recorded among the coaches. The head coach of the Ghana national team, Carlos Queiroz is attending his fifth consecutive World Cup (previously participating with Portugal in 2010, and Iran in 2014, 2018, and 2022). He has become the second specialist in the world to achieve this result after the legendary Bora Milutinović.

A total of 104 matches will take place during this grand celebration hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA. We wish our national team great victories and good luck in this magical tournament that marks a new era in the history of our country's football. Go, Uzbekistan!