Australia’s 2026 World Cup Roster Revealed
Australia has made a surprising selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with young Serie A talent Cristian Volpato chosen over experienced player Martin Boyle. Volpato declared his allegiance to the Socceroos just days before the final squad was announced, but he did not feature in the recent 1-0 friendly loss to Mexico.
Boyle, who missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury, is now unlikely to be part of the Australian team in the upcoming tournament at the age of 33. The following is the full list of players selected by coach Tony Popovic for the 2026 World Cup.
Australia World Cup Roster 2026
The final squad was named on June 1, after a 1-0 friendly defeat to Mexico at the Rose Bowl. Teams had until May 11 to submit their preliminary list of 35-55 players, and then finalize their roster by May 30.
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Mathew Ryan | Levante UD (La Liga, Spain) | 34 | 104 |
| GK | 12 | Paul Izzo | Randers FC (Superliga, Denmark) | 31 | 4 |
| GK | 23 | Patrick Beach | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 22 | 1 |
| DEF | 2 | Aziz Behich | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 35 | 83 |
| DEF | 3 | Jordan Bos | Feyenoord (Eredivisie, Netherlands) | 22 | 3 |
| DEF | 4 | Cameron Burgess | Swansea City (Championship, England) | 30 | 26 |
| DEF | 5 | Alessandro Circati | Bayern Munich (Bundesliga, Germany) | 22 | 12 |
| DEF | 6 | Milos Degenek | Apoel FC (First Division, Cyprus) | 32 | 56 |
| DEF | 7 | Jason Geria | Albirex Niigata (J-League, Japan) | 33 | 13 |
| DEF | 8 | Lucas Herrington | Colorado Rapids (MLS, USA) | 18 | 3 |
| DEF | 9 | Jacob Italiano | Grazer AK (Bundesliga, Austria) | 24 | 4 |
| DEF | 10 | Harry Souttar | Leicester City (Premier League, England) | 27 | 37 |
| DEF | 11 | Kai Trewin | New York City (MLS, USA) | 25 | 5 |
| MID | 13 | Cameron Devlin | Hearts (Premiership, Scotland) | 27 | 4 |
| MID | 14 | Ajdin Hrustic | Heracles Almelo (Eredivisie, Netherlands) | 29 | 37 |
| MID | 15 | Jackson Irvine | St Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany) | 33 | 81 |
| MID | 16 | Connor Metcalfe | St Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany) | 26 | 35 |
| MID | 17 | Paul Okon-Engstler | Sydney FC (A-League, Australia) | 21 | 5 |
| MID | 18 | Aidan O’Neill | New York City (MLS, USA) | 27 | 30 |
| FWD | 19 | Nestory Irankunda | Watford (Championship, England) | 20 | 14 |
| FWD | 20 | Mathew Leckie | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 35 | 80 |
| FWD | 21 | Awer Mabil | CD Castellon (Segunda, Spain) | 30 | 38 |
| FWD | 22 | Mohamed Toure | Norwich City (Championship, England) | 22 | 9 |
| FWD | 23 | Nishan Velupillay | Melbourne Victory (A-League, Australia) | 25 | 7 |
| FWD | 24 | Cristian Volpato | Sassuolo (Serie A, Italy) | 22 | 0 |
| FWD | 25 | Tete Yengi | Machida Zelvia (J-League, Japan) | 25 | 0 |
Injuries Ahead of the World Cup
Australia faced several setbacks ahead of the tournament. Riley McGree suffered a hamstring injury in Middlesborough’s Championship play-off final defeat to Hull City. He played a key role in the Socceroos’ qualification for the 2022 World Cup, creating the winning goal against Denmark and assisting Aziz Behich’s goal.
Defender Hayden Matthews and striker Nick D’Agostino also left the squad due to injuries, though they were not expected to be key players.
Players to Watch
Cristian Volpato’s inclusion in the squad has drawn attention, especially given his recent switch from Italy. His debut is likely to come in a pre-World Cup friendly against Switzerland.
Nestory Irankunda is considered one of the most exciting talents in the squad, with his speed and shot power making him a standout. It will be interesting to see whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Mohamed Toure, who scored nine goals in 11 matches for Norwich City this season, is expected to lead the attack for Australia. His performance could mark him as a future star for the Socceroos.
Coach Tony Popovic
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has been in charge since September 2024, taking over from Graham Arnold. Under his leadership, Australia secured a place in the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 2014 without going through a playoff.
Popovic has a strong coaching background, including an AFC Champions League title with Western Sydney Wanderers and multiple A-League Premiers Plate wins. Despite his achievements, he has yet to win a grand final.
Changes to the Roster
Once the final squad is confirmed, teams can only make changes if a player suffers a serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before their first match.
Australia’s World Cup History
Australia has never won the World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 in 2006 and 2022. Their best result came in 2006 when they lost to Italy, and in 2022 when they fell to Argentina.
With a current FIFA ranking of 27, Australia aims to improve its performance in the 2026 tournament.
2026 World Cup Schedule
Australia is grouped with the United States, Paraguay, and Turkey. The group stage matches are scheduled as follows:
- June 12: United States vs. Paraguay
- June 14: Australia vs. Turkey
- June 19: United States vs. Australia
- June 20: Turkey vs. Paraguay
- June 25: Turkey vs. United States
- June 25: Paraguay vs. Australia
Fans can purchase tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on StubHub. More updates on the tournament will be available soon.
