Australia coach Tony Popovic has named his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The squad features a mix of experienced veterans and exciting young talents, including captain Mathew Ryan, midfielder Jackson Irvine, and teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda.
Goalkeepers
Patrick Beach (Melbourne City, 22, 1 cap): A former softball player who switched to football, Beach made his debut against Venezuela in 2025, earning man-of-the-match honors.
Paul Izzo (Randers, 31, 4 caps): A regular under Popovic, Izzo made a record eight saves in a man-of-the-match performance against Canada.
Mathew Ryan (Levante, 33, 104 caps): The captain and veteran of 12 clubs across eight countries, Ryan heads to his fourth World Cup.
Defenders
Aziz Behich (Melbourne City, 35, 83 caps): Known for his pace and experience, Behich competes with Jordy Bos for the left-back spot.
Jordan Bos (Feyenoord, 23, 26 caps): An attacking left-back who loves overlapping and delivering early crosses.
Cameron Burgess (Swansea City, 30, 26 caps): Helped Ipswich Town achieve successive promotions from League One to the Premier League.
Alessandro Circati (Parma, 22, 12 caps): Chose Australia over Italy after advice from Gianluigi Buffon.
Milos Degenek (Apoel, 32, 56 caps): A composed center-back who has played in seven different countries.
Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata, 33, 13 caps): A favorite of Ange Postecoglou, Geria makes his first World Cup squad.
Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids, 18, 3 caps): The youngest player in the squad, he has faced Messi and Son Heung-min.
Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK, 24, 4 caps): A versatile player comfortable on either wing or in midfield.
Harry Souttar (Leicester City, 27, 37 caps): A fan favorite known for his no-nonsense defending and goal threat.
Kai Trewin (New York City, 24, 5 caps): A ball-playing defender with maturity beyond his years.
Midfielders
Cammy Devlin (Hearts, 27, 4 caps): Known for his tenacity in midfield, he impressed for Hearts in Scotland.
Jackson Irvine (St Pauli, 33, 81 caps): A calm and articulate leader with tactical nous.
Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City, 35, 80 caps): A cult hero after scoring the winner against Denmark in the 2022 World Cup.
Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli, 26, 35 caps): A technical and tenacious midfielder who presses aggressively.
Aiden O'Neill (New York City, 27, 30 caps): A combative midfielder who also runs a cattle farm in Australia.
Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC, 21, 5 caps): Son of former Socceroo Paul Okon, he played youth football at Benfica.
Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo, 29, 37 caps): Known for his dazzling feet and powerful left foot, especially from set-pieces.
Attackers
Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo, 22, 0 caps): After waiting for Italy, he switched allegiance to Australia just in time for the World Cup.
Nestory Irankunda (Watford, 20, 14 caps): The exciting winger is known for his confidence and spectacular goals.
Awer Mabil (Castellon, 30, 38 caps): Born in a refugee camp in Kenya, Mabil has scored 10 goals for the Socceroos.
Mohamed Touré (Norwich, 22, 9 caps): Scored a hat-trick on his full debut for Norwich and ended the season with nine goals.
Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory, 25, 7 caps): A bolter who scored in back-to-back games against China and Indonesia.
Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, 25, 0 caps): The 6ft 6in striker gained internet fame after being headbutted by a shorter defender.
