32 Days to Kickoff — All 48 Nations Submit Provisional Squad Lists to FIFA by May 11 Midnight Deadline

May 10 is the final day for all 48 qualified nations to complete and submit their preliminary squad lists to FIFA ahead of the May 11 midnight deadline — the first formal step in the 2026 World Cup competition structure. Each federation must submit a list of 35 to 55 players, including a minimum of five goalkeepers, to FIFA for internal use. The lists will be shared with the professional clubs whose players are included, triggering club release obligations that begin May 25. FIFA will not publish the preliminary lists publicly. Key confirmed schedules: France names 26 players on May 14 (Deschamps in Paris); Sweden on May 12; New Zealand on May 14; Japan on May 15; Brazil names 26 on May 18 (Ancelotti in Rio); Germany on May 21; USMNT on May 26 at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in NYC live on FOX Sports. Final 26-man squads from all 48 nations must be submitted to FIFA between May 25 and June 1; FIFA will publish all 48 final squads simultaneously on June 2. From May 10, the tournament opener at Estadio Azteca (Mexico vs. South Africa) is 32 days away. Key injury watch heading into the provisional deadline: Mbappé (France, hamstring — see El Clásico exclusion today); Neymar (Brazil, ACL return — in preliminary squad); Estevao (Brazil, hamstring — training but uncertain); Patrick Agyemang (USA, Achilles — confirmed out); Tyler Adams (USA, hamstring — uncertain). Iran has not confirmed whether any players will be submitted in its provisional list given the ongoing visa and security dispute — an unofficial deadline for federations in crisis to signal intent to FIFA.