Germany has announced its squad for the 2026 World Cup: Nagelsmann has combined key players, returnees and players who imposed themselves in the final stage of preparations
The German national football team has announced its squad for the 2026 World Cup, a tournament that will be played from 11 June to 19 July in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. According to announcements by the German Football Association and reports by specialized football media, head coach Julian Nagelsmann has opted for a group of 26 players, thereby completing a months-long selection process in which results in qualifying, spring tests, club form and the question of balance between experience and freshness were intertwined. The publication of the list attracted great attention because Germany is going to North America after two consecutive disappointments at World Cups, and the first goal will be to avoid a repeat of the early exits from 2018 and 2022. During 21 May 2026, the DFB began confirming some of the players through individual announcements, and then the complete framework with which Nagelsmann enters the final phase of preparations was also published. With that, the German national team received clearer outlines for a tournament in which 48 national teams will compete for the first time.
Kimmich, Havertz and Musiala remain the core of the team
According to DFB announcements that were also carried by football portals during the day, the confirmed names include Joshua Kimmich from Bayern, Kai Havertz from Arsenal, Jamal Musiala from Bayern, Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund, Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling from Stuttgart, Nathaniel Brown from Eintracht Frankfurt, Aleksandar Pavlović from Bayern, David Raum from Leipzig and Nadiem Amiri from Mainz. The report by The Mag states that, after the full announcement, Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw, two Newcastle United players, were also included in the squad, which further confirms that Nagelsmann included footballers in the team who have profiled themselves in different leagues and different tactical roles. Kimmich remains one of the key players of the team, not only because of his experience and number of appearances, but also because of his ability to cover several positions in a system that has often been adapted to the opponent during Nagelsmann’s tenure. Havertz brings attacking flexibility because he can play as an advanced forward, a second striker or part of an attacking line that rotates between spaces. Musiala, when fully fit, remains the most important player for creating overloads in the final third of the pitch, while Schlotterbeck and Tah represent part of the defensive framework that must bring stability after a period in which Germany often had problems controlling the transition from attack to defence.
The announcement of the list comes after a qualifying turnaround
Germany, according to DFB data, secured its place in qualification for the World Cup through Group A, in which its opponents were Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. The DFB had earlier announced that the group winner goes directly to the final tournament, while the second-placed national team must enter additional qualifiers, so the final stage of the qualifying cycle carried considerable weight for Nagelsmann’s team. Germany secured qualification in November 2025 with a 6:0 victory against Slovakia in Leipzig, and the DFB described that result as a decisive step toward the tournament in North America. That success was particularly important because the team had earlier in the cycle gone through fluctuations, including pressure after the defeat in Slovakia and tight matches in which the effectiveness of the attack was questioned. Ahead of the announcement of the final squad, Nagelsmann tested some solutions through friendly matches against Switzerland and Ghana, and the DFB stated after the 2:1 victory over Ghana that Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav were the scorers in the last test before the final nomination.
Group E brings different styles and a logistically demanding schedule
According to the official schedule published by FIFA and the DFB, Germany will play at the 2026 World Cup in Group E with Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. It will play its first match on 14 June in Houston against Curaçao, the second on 20 June in Toronto against Ivory Coast, and the third on 25 June in East Rutherford, in the New York and New Jersey area, against Ecuador. Such a schedule means that the German national team will already have to travel between the United States and Canada in the group stage, which is one of the important organizational challenges of a tournament being played in 16 host cities. Nagelsmann, according to an earlier DFB announcement, described the group as demanding but feasible, emphasizing that the 2026 World Cup will not be logistically simple either for teams or for fans. From a sporting point of view, Germany enters the group as the favourite, but the opponents offer different profiles: Curaçao as a debutant comes with an element of the unknown, Ivory Coast brings physical strength and the quality of African football, while Ecuador traditionally represents a disciplined and athletically strong South American national team.
Nagelsmann seeks a balance between experience and a new cycle
Nagelsmann’s list of 26 players shows an attempt to build a team that can respond to short-term results, but also open space for a newer generation. In that balance, players such as Nathaniel Brown, Aleksandar Pavlović, Jamie Leweling and Nick Woltemade stand out in particular, fitting into the broader picture of Germany’s shift after a period in which the national team failed to translate club talent into stable tournament performances. According to Bundesliga, the discussion around the squad ahead of the announcement also included the question of the goalkeeping hierarchy, the return of experienced players and the role of younger options who imposed themselves in the 2025/26 season. The DFB team page from March showed how wide the circle of candidates was: it included Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nübel, Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rüdiger, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, David Raum, Malick Thiaw, Leon Goretzka, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sané, Kai Havertz, Serge Gnabry, Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade. The final selection is therefore not only a list of the best individuals, but also a decision on what kind of structure Germany will use in matches in which simultaneous control of possession, protection against counterattacks and efficiency in the penalty area are required.
The attack relies on mobility, not only on a classic centre-forward
One of the most important tactical questions for Germany remains the shape of the attack. Havertz, Undav and Woltemade offer different profiles, but none of them is reduced exclusively to the role of a classic centre-forward waiting for crosses in the penalty area. Havertz has often been used in the national team as a player who connects the lines, drops away from the last line and opens space for wingers or midfielders, while Undav has a different rhythm, a stronger sense for finishing and the ability to change the dynamics of a match as a substitute. Woltemade brings height, but also technique that allows him to drop toward the ball, giving Nagelsmann a forward who can help in combination play. The role of players such as Wirtz, Musiala, Gnabry, Sané or Leweling will depend on the formation and physical condition ahead of the tournament, but it is clear that the head coach wants an attack that can change positions and create unpredictable situations. Such an approach can be an advantage against national teams that defend deep, but it requires precise coordination because losing the ball in the middle of the pitch often opens space for quick counterattacks.
The defence must bring the security Germany lacked
Germany has often paid the price in recent major competitions for individual mistakes, insufficiently protected space behind the full-backs and weaker reactions after losing the ball. For that reason, decisions in the back line are especially important. Rüdiger brings experience and aggressiveness in duels, Tah stability and strength, Schlotterbeck better build-up with his left foot, and Thiaw an additional physical dimension. Raum can offer width and a quality cross from the left side, while Kimmich, if used at right-back, provides security in possession and the possibility of stepping into midfield. According to earlier DFB announcements, Nagelsmann repeatedly emphasized the importance of balance during qualifying, and defensive balance will be one of the key prerequisites for success in Group E. Against Curaçao, Germany will probably have to break down a low block, against Ivory Coast control transition and physical intensity, and against Ecuador maintain concentration in a match in which the standings and the path to the knockout stage may be decided.
A tournament of 48 national teams changes the calculation in the group
FIFA states that the 2026 World Cup will be the first edition with 48 national teams and three host countries. The expansion of the tournament changes the sporting dynamic because 104 matches will be played, and progression from the group no longer depends exclusively on the first two places in each group, but also on the ranking of the best third-placed national teams. For favourites such as Germany, this must not be an excuse for a cautious start to the tournament, but it gives a different context to every match because points tally, goal difference and the schedule can have additional importance. Nagelsmann’s team will therefore have to look for a result from the start, especially against Curaçao in Houston, because victory in the first round would open space for a more controlled continuation of the group. At the same time, the expanded format increases the number of potential opponents in the knockout stage and reduces the predictability of the tournament path. For a national team accustomed to high expectations, but which in recent years has faced a crisis of results, the most important thing will be to establish automatisms as soon as possible and avoid the nervousness that marked some earlier competitions.
Expectations are high, but the approach must remain more gradual
Germany enters every major competition with the pressure of history, four world champion titles and the public habit of considering at least a deep run into the knockout stage a success. Still, the circumstances ahead of the 2026 tournament are different from the period of greatest dominance. The national team is still building on changes begun after the 2024 European Championship, and Nagelsmann is trying to build an identity that combines aggressive pressing, technical quality in midfield and faster attacks into space. According to the DFB, the last matches against Switzerland and Ghana served as a test before the final nomination, and victories in those matches brought a calmer entry into the final preparation. But friendly victories do not remove questions about consistency, especially in defence and finishing. That is precisely why the squad announcement is not the end of the process, but the beginning of the most sensitive part of preparations, in which individuals must turn into a functional tournament team.
The list also opens discussion about those who are not in the foreground
Every German nomination traditionally sparks debate, and the list for the 2026 World Cup is no exception. Some of the attention is directed at players who were previously important, but who did not have an equally strong status ahead of the final list, as well as at those who hoped for a call-up thanks to club form. German media wrote particularly ahead of the announcement about the goalkeeper position, possible returnees, forwards competing for a limited number of places and young players who could be included as options for specific situations. Nagelsmann had already made it clear earlier that not every decision would be popular, which is usual for a national team with a large selection of players and high public expectations. The final judgment on the list will not be made according to names on paper, but according to whether the head coach will find a clear hierarchy, roles and responses for different types of matches. In tournament football, the depth of the bench, the condition of players in the second and third rounds and the ability to adapt are often just as important as the starting line-up.
Final preparations before the journey to North America
The DFB had earlier announced that Germany would play its final match before the start of the World Cup on 6 June 2026 against the United States of America in Chicago. That match should be the final test before the opener against Curaçao eight days later in Houston. For Nagelsmann, it will be an opportunity to confirm the starting line-up, test set pieces and assess the physical condition of the players after the club season. Since the tournament is played over great distances and in different climatic conditions, the coaching staff will have to devote special attention to recovery, travel and managing minutes. With the publication of the list, Germany has received the basis for the final plan, but the real test begins only when the team faces the rhythm of the tournament. After years in which ambition and results were often out of step, the 2026 World Cup represents for Germany an opportunity to confirm a new beginning, but also an obligation to support high expectations with stable performances on the pitch.
Sources:
- German Football Association DFB – official information on Germany’s group, match schedule, qualifications and preparations for the 2026 World Cup. (link)
- German Football Association DFB – news about Germany’s qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup. (link)
- FIFA – official page of the 2026 World Cup with information on the format, hosts and tournament. (link)
- FIFA – official match schedule of the 2026 World Cup after the group draw. (link)
- Bundesliga – overview of the announcement of the German squad and the context ahead of the nomination for the 2026 World Cup. (link)
- The Mag – report on the announcement of the German squad and the confirmed names in Julian Nagelsmann’s team. (link)