Sixteen Arsenal players confirmed for World Cup 2026 as all squads finalised

Sixteen Arsenal players have been confirmed for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after every qualifying nation submitted their final 26-man squads ahead of the deadline, with the tournament set to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The contingent spans all positions: goalkeeper David Raya will represent Spain alongside midfielders Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, while defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli will fly the flag for Brazil. William Saliba heads to the tournament with France, Jurrien Timber with the Netherlands, and Piero Hincapie with Colombia.

England’s representation is the largest of any single nation in the Arsenal squad. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke all earned their places in the Three Lions’ squad, while captain Martin Odegaard will lead Norway. Kai Havertz joins up with Germany, Leandro Trossard with Belgium, and Viktor Gyokeres — Arsenal’s high-profile summer signing — with Sweden.

Several notable absences complete the picture. Ben White was left out of England’s squad through injury, while Cristhian Mosquera, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Fabio Vieira were not selected by Spain and Portugal respectively. Riccardo Calafiori misses out after Italy failed to qualify, as does Christian Norgaard following Denmark’s elimination. Younger squad members Myles Lewis-Skelly, Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri and Tommy Setford were all omitted from Gareth Southgate’s England plans.

The tournament carries logistical weight for Arsenal beyond national pride. As reigning Premier League champions, Mikel Arteta’s side will need to manage the return of 16 players from a major international tournament as they prepare to defend their title. Arsenal have so far confirmed only a pre-season fixture against Real Betis on August 5 and the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16, leaving a tight turnaround before competitive football resumes.