Surprise as Germany announces 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, including 5 Premier League players.
On 21 May 2026, Julian Nagelsmann, head coach of the German national team, revealed the final 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup finals, to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from 11 June to 19 July.
Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper from Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning team who had previously retired from international duty, was surprisingly recalled as earlier reported. Additionally, 18-year-old Bayern Munich rising star Lennart Carl was included in the squad, also a surprise.
Three notable players left out of the squad are Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (Girona, on loan from Barcelona), and Saïd El Mala (Cologne).
The five German players from England’s Premier League named in the 2026 World Cup squad are Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, Malik Jaou, and Pascal Groß.
Meanwhile, Jonas Urbig, a young goalkeeper from Bayern Munich, was named as the fourth goalkeeper to join training sessions but will not be eligible to play in matches.
Goalkeepers
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)
Defenders
- Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich / Captain), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Malik Jaou (Newcastle United)
Midfielders
- Pascal Groß (Brighton), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich), Felix Mesha (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz 05), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
Forwards/Attackers
- Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Lennart Carl (Bayern Munich), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Leroy Sané (Galatasaray), Maximilian Bauer (Borussia Dortmund)
