Argentina are one of the few teams that have yet to confirm their 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Head coach Lionel Scaloni addressed the situation, explaining the process behind selecting the final roster.
“As always, it will be painful for some guys and joyful for others, but that’s the way it is,” Scaloni said about the decision to trim the roster from 55 to 26 players during an interview with DSports shared Wednesday on social media.
Since May 11, the day Argentina submitted their preliminary roster to FIFA, reports indicate the coaching staff has narrowed its consideration down to around 35 players. Now comes the final cut to determine the 26 names that will compete in the World Cup, although that decision has not yet been made.
The deadline set by FIFA is June 1, and Scaloni and his assistants intend to wait as long as possible. That is due to the large number of players dealing with physical issues — around 10 in total — including Lionel Messi.
“We will confirm the roster in the coming days. We’ll wait until the very end to do it, honestly. I think it’s a decision that deserves that,” the head coach said regarding the timing of the final choice.
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Scaloni explains how he wants Argentina to play at the World Cup
In the same conversation, Lionel Scaloni was clear about the style he wants Argentina to display during the 2026 FIFA World Cup: “I want my players to respect the culture and tradition of this jersey: always try to have the ball and, when we don’t have it, try not to concede goals. Get angry when we don’t have the ball, encourage teammates.”
He also sent a message to Argentina’s fans. “People identify with the team when they see the players giving everything and feeling it the same way they do,” Scaloni said. “Every player who wears this jersey gives everything, and we will go to this World Cup the same way, leaving everything for this jersey, respecting our culture, tradition, and the people who will spend a lot of money traveling to support us.”
Key dates for Argentina ahead of the World Cup
No later than June 1, Lionel Scaloni must confirm the 26-player roster that will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From there, the team will travel to the United States for two friendly matches: June 6 against Honduras and three days later against Iceland. After that, Argentina will have a week off before opening their tournament against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.
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