FIFA just dropped a stats dump on the 2026 World Cup squads, and the numbers tell a wild story — from a 43-year-old goalkeeper to Man City sending more players than any club on Earth.

By the Numbers

1,248 — total players across all 48 teams (new World Cup record)
104 — total matches (up from 64 in 2022)
891 — first-time World Cup players
357 — players returning for at least their second tournament
22 — former World Cup champions in the mix (from Argentina, France, and Germany)

The Age Gap: 43 Going on 17

The oldest player in the tournament isn't Cristiano Ronaldo. It's Craig Gordon, Scotland's 43-year-old goalkeeper, who'll be 43 years and 162 days old when the tournament kicks off. Ronaldo sits at #2.

At the other end? Mexico's Gilberto Mora, who's just 17 years and 240 days. The age gap between the oldest and youngest player? Over a quarter century.

There are 7 players aged 40+ and 22 players under 20. This tournament spans two generations of soccer.

Oldest and youngest World Cup 2026 players — age extremes across the squad lists

The Sixth-Timers Club: A Record That'll Stand Forever

Messi, Ronaldo, and Ochoa are about to play in their sixth World Cup. Let that sink in for a second — these guys have been doing this since 2006. Modrić joins them on his fifth.

This record isn't getting broken anytime soon. To play in six World Cups, you need to debut as a teenager and maintain elite fitness into your late 30s. Good luck.

Manchester City Owns This Tournament

When it comes to club representation, Pep Guardiola's machine dominates:

Club	Players at World Cup
Manchester City	19 (new record)
Bayern Munich	18
Arsenal	16
Barcelona	15
PSG	15

Nineteen players from a single club at one World Cup. The previous record? Also Man City. At this point they're just competing with themselves.

Club representation at World Cup 2026 — Manchester City leads all teams

The 73-Year-Old Legend You've Never Heard Of

Carlos Queiroz, Ghana's manager, is about to coach in his fifth consecutive World Cup. At 73, the Portuguese veteran previously led Iran and his native Portugal through four tournaments. He's only the second coach in history to hit five straight World Cups — the other being Bora Milutinović (1986-2002).

That's the kind of longevity that makes you rethink retirement plans.

The Full Globalization of the Game

The 1,248 players come from 449 different clubs across 71 countries. But the spread is anything but even:

Qatar and Saudi Arabia: Nearly 100% domestic league players (only 1 player each based abroad)
Cape Verde, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Curaçao, Senegal, Uruguay: 100% foreign-based — every single player earns their living in another country's league

That contrast is wild. For some nations, the World Cup is a showcase of homegrown talent. For others, it's a reunion of exports scattered across Europe's top leagues.

Global club representation at the 2026 World Cup

The Bottom Line

The 48-team format has its critics, but the raw numbers don't lie: this is the biggest, most globally representative World Cup ever. Whether that translates to better soccer? We'll find out starting June 11.

Key Takeaways

By the Numbers

The Age Gap: 43 Going on 17

The Sixth-Timers Club: A Record That'll Stand Forever

Manchester City Owns This Tournament

The 73-Year-Old Legend You've Never Heard Of

The Full Globalization of the Game

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

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messi ronaldo sixth world cup

48 Teams, 1,248 Players, and One 73-Year-Old Coach: The Wildest World Cup Stats