Nations competing at the 2026 Fifa World Cup must name their final 26-man squads no later than Monday, 1 June.\n

Fifa then officially confirm final squads a day later on Tuesday, 2 June. From that point, teams can only make changes to their squads for two reasons.\n\nThe first is in the event of a player sustaining a serious injury or illness. This player is allowed to be officially replaced in the squad up to 24 hours before kick-off of the team's first match of the tournament. After that, a team is not allowed to make any further changes to their outfield playing squad. The only exception comes in the form of goalkeepers. If a goalkeeper sustains a serious injury or illness, they are allowed to be replaced at any time during the tournament. A team's final squad can contain between 23 and 26 players, of which at least three of them must be goalkeepers.

This regulation ensures fairness and player welfare, allowing limited adjustments for genuine emergencies while maintaining squad stability for the tournament. It balances player welfare with competitive integrity.