Julian Nagelsmann has officially announced Germany’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the nation aiming to be crowned world champions for a record-equalling fifth time, having previously lifted the trophy in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014.
The list showed the remarkable return of Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer. The 40-year-old who agreed to come out of international retirement to feature in his fifth FIFA World Cup, with Nagelsmann reportedly impressed by his high-level performances at club level and citing his “experience and winning mentality” as key factors in the decision.
Neuer, who boasts 124 caps for the national team and is approaching 600 club appearances for Bayern, recently signed a contract extension at the Allianz Arena, and will now serve as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper, with Oliver Baumann relegated to second choice.
Germany head into the tournament with a point to prove, having suffered consecutive group-stage eliminations in Russia and Qatar, and will kick off their campaign in Houston, Texas, on June 14.
In attack, Nagelsmann will look primarily to two Premier League players: Kai Havertz, fresh from winning the Premier League with Arsenal, and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz.
Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav also earns his place in the forward line after a prolific 25-goal season, while Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade is included despite a difficult debut Premier League campaign.
However, Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry will miss the tournament due to injury.
At the back, Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck and Bayern Munich’s Jonathan Tah are set to lead the defensive line, while young full-back Nathaniel Brown is among those making their first appearance at a major tournament for Die Mannschaft.
Notably, Marc-André ter Stegen, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Girona from Barcelona following a back injury, has not been included.
Germany are placed in Group E, where they will face Curacao in Houston on June 14, Ivory Coast in Toronto on June 20, and Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25.
Germany’s squad in full
Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (40, Bayern Munich)
Oliver Baumann (35, Hoffenheim)
Alexander Nübel (29, Stuttgart)
Jonas Urbig (22, Bayern Munich)*
*training goalkeeper
Defenders
Jonathan Tah (30, Bayern Munich)
Joshua Kimmich (c) (31, Bayern Munich)
Nico Schlotterbeck (26, Borussia Dortmund)
Antonio Rüdiger (33, Real Madrid)
David Raum (28, RB Lepizig)
Nathaniel Brown (22, Eintracht Frankfurt)
Waldemar Anton (29, Borussia Dortmund)
Malick Thiaw (24, Newcastle United)
Midfielders
Pascal Groß (34, Brighton and Hove Albion)
Leon Goretzka (31, Bayern Munich)
Aleksandar Pavlovic (22, Bayern Munich)
Felix Nmecha (25, Borussia Dortmund)
Nadiem Amiri (29, Mainz)
Angelo Stiller (25, Stuttgart)
Attackers
Kai Havertz (26, Arsenal)
Nick Woltemade (24, Newcastle United)
Deniz Undav (29, Stuttgart)
Jamal Musiala (23, Bayern Munich)
Florian Wirtz (23, Liverpool)
Lennart Karl (18, Bayern Munich)
Jamie Leweling (25, Stuttgart)
Leroy Sané (30, Galatasaray)
Maximilian Beier (23, Borussia Dortmund).
