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The ghosts of Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell still linger on the soccer fields that litter Australia's landscape more than a decade after they last laced their cleats.
The Socceroos have been one of the region's most successful sides, emerging as a titan of Asian and Oceanian soccer in the 21st century. Now, they're setting their sights at a new pinnacle — securing a spot in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the second-straight trip. Armed with a gaggle of talented youngsters and wily veterans, they look well-equipped to compete for a spot in the business end of the competition.
The Group D outfit isn't quite faultless. But it is enticing, particularly in the attacking areas of the pitch. It proved as much in its 2-0 triumph over Turkey in its first match, showcasing all the typical tenets of Australian soccer — speed, dynamism and creativity.
With that, here's a look at the Socceroos' roster for the 2026 World Cup.
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Australia 2026 World Cup roster
Australia has rolled out a 26-man roster ahead of this year's World Cup in North America. The Socceroos' roster features talent spanning as far as Cyprus and as nearby as Melbourne City.
Here's a look at Australia's full roster for the 2026 World Cup.
Caps and stats are correct as of June 1.
| GK | 1 | Mathew Ryan | Levante UD (La Liga, Spain) | 34 | 104 |
| GK | 12 | Paul Izzo | Randers FC (Superliga, Denmark) | 31 | 4 |
| GK | 18 | Patrick Beach | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 22 | 1 |
| DEF | 16 | Aziz Behich | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 35 | 83 |
| DEF | 5 | Jordan Bos | Feyenoord (Eredivisie, Netherlands) | 22 | 3 |
| DEF | 21 | Cameron Burgess | Swansea City (Championship, England) | 30 | 26 |
| DEF | 3 | Alessandro Circati | Parma (Serie A, Italy) | 22 | 12 |
| DEF | 2 | Milos Degenek | Apoel FC (First Division, Cyprus) | 32 | 56 |
| DEF | 6 | Jason Geria | Albirex Niigata (J-League, Japan) | 33 | 13 |
| DEF | 25 | Lucas Herrington | Colorado Rapids (MLS, USA) | 18 | 3 |
| DEF | 4 | Jacob Italiano | Grazer AK (Bundesliga, Austria) | 24 | 4 |
| DEF | 19 | Harry Souttar | Leicester City (Championship, England) | 27 | 37 |
| DEF | 15 | Kai Trewin | New York City (MLS, USA) | 25 | 5 |
| MID | 14 | Cameron Devlin | Hearts (Premiership, Scotland) | 27 | 4 |
| MID | 10 | Ajdin Hrustic | Heracles Almelo (Eredivisie, Netherlands) | 29 | 37 |
| MID | 22 | Jackson Irvine | St Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany) | 33 | 81 |
| MID | 8 | Connor Metcalfe | St Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany) | 26 | 35 |
| MID | 24 | Paul Okon-Engstler | Sydney FC (A-League, Australia) | 21 | 5 |
| MID | 13 | Aidan O'Neill | New York City (MLS, USA) | 27 | 30 |
| FWD | 17 | Nestory Irankunda | Watford (Championship, England) | 20 | 14 |
| FWD | 7 | Mathew Leckie | Melbourne City (A-League, Australia) | 35 | 80 |
| FWD | 11 | Awer Mabil | CD Castellon (Segunda, Spain) | 30 | 38 |
| FWD | 9 | Mohamed Toure | Norwich City (Championship, England) | 22 | 9 |
| FWD | 23 | Nishan Velupillay | Melbourne Victory (A-League, Australia) | 25 | 7 |
| FWD | 20 | Cristian Volpato | Sassuolo (Serie A, Italy) | 22 | 0 |
| FWD | 26 | Tete Yengi | Machida Zelvia (J-League, Japan) | 25 | 0 |
Australia players to watch in 2026 World Cup
Australia is quietly blessed with a handful of gifted young stars. Nestory Irankunda earned rave reviews for his performances at Watford and, at 20 years old, is already being tipped for greatness. He found the target in Australia's shock 2-0 win over Turkey in the Socceroos' group stage opener. He's joined in Australia's attacking corps by Norwich winger Mohamed Toure, who tallied nine goals in 11 appearances for Championship side Norwich City upon his arrival in Feb. 2026.
Christian Volpato got the nod, having made his bones at Sassuolo in Serie A. He'll look to add pace and dynamism into an attacking unit teeming with it already.
Captain Mathew Ryan has spent more than a decade in Europe, plying his trade for powerhouses like Club Brugge, Valencia, Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal, Lens and, most recently, Levante.
Other noteworthy talents include St. Pauli pairing Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe and hulking Leicester City defender Harry Souttar.
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Who is coaching Team Australia in the 2026 World Cup?
Australian soccer legend Tony Popovic holds the reins for the Socceroos. The Sydney native starred at the domestic and international level, playing more than 100 times for Crystal Palace during the early 2000s. Popovic was a fully fledged Australian international, earning 58 caps with his home nation from 1995-2006.
After retiring from the sport in 2008, Popovic got into coaching. He was named the head coach of Western Sydney Wanderers in May 2012. Popovic led Wanderers to an A-League title in his first season with the club. In his second, they triumphed in the AFC Champions League, besting Al-Hilal in the final.
Popovic has remained a coaching star in the years since his coaching debut. He lent his services to Karabukspor, Perth Glory, Xanthi and Melbourne Victory before agreeing terms to become Australia's head coach in Sept. 2024.
Under Popovic’s tutelage, the Socceroos have shined. They are 11-4-4 in 19 appearances, cementing themselves as one of Asia’s finest sides.
Australia World Cup history
The Socceroos are one of Asian soccer's most decorated outfits, having appeared in seven World Cups in their history.
Formerly a member on the Oceania Football Confederation, Australia made its first World Cup appearance in 1974. The Socceroos' deepest run saw them qualify for the Round of 16 in 2006 and 2022, respectively.
Here's a look at the Aussies' history in soccer's grandest international competition.
| Year | Result | Final game |
| 2022 | Round of 16 | Argentina 2-Australia 1 |
| 2018 | Group stage | Australia 0-Peru 2 |
| 2014 | Group stage | Australia 0-Spain 3 |
| 2010 | Group stage | Australia 2-Serbia 1 |
| 2006 | Round of 16 | Italy 1-0 Australia |
| 1974 | Group stage | Australia 0-0 Chile |
Australia World Cup 2026 schedule
Australia will play in Group D at this year's World Cup. It will be joined by Paraguay, Turkey and the United States. Here's a look at their slate of games during the group stage of the 2026 tournament:
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sun., June 14 | 9 p.m. | Australia 2, Turkey 0 | BC Place (Vancouver, British Columbia, CN) |
| Fri, June 19 | 3 p.m. | United States vs. Australia | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Thu, June 25 | 10 p.m. | Paraguay vs. Australia | Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA) |
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