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China Wind Turbine: China recently installed a giant floating wind turbine, which could change the future of clean energy. world News

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A world record-breaking floating offshore wind turbine with a capacity of 16 MW has been installed in China, creating an outstanding record in clean energy and offshore wind turbine technology.

The wind turbine, nicknamed the “Three Gorges Pilot”, is expected to generate enough electricity to supply electricity to approximately 4,200 homes each year.

Designed specifically for deep-sea areas where regular offshore turbines cannot be used, this floating wind farm serves as evidence of the growing interest in such offshore facilities.

Scientists claim floating wind turbines could help harness large wind energy resources offshore and promote clean energy development.

what makes the floating wind turbine unique?

The new floating offshore wind turbine was designed by China Three Gorges Corporation and installed at a site near Yangjiang in Guangdong province.

Unlike offshore wind turbines, which typically mount directly into the seabed, the new technology uses a semi-submersible floating platform with a state-of-the-art anchoring mechanism.

The power generation capacity of this new turbine is 16 MW, while its huge rotor diameter is 252 metres. Its blade tips rise more than 270 metres above sea level, making it one of the largest and tallest floating wind turbines ever built.

As stated in company information sources cited in the articles, the structure can withstand extremely harsh sea conditions such as waves of more than 20 metres and winds equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. expert of State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering,

Ocean University of China Together with offshore renewable energy engineers, it believes that the need for floating platforms is increasing as most of the shallow coastlines suitable for conventional offshore wind farm installation are now either fully used or geographically restricted.

Why deep-water wind energy cases

Floating wind energy technology is said to be one of the next technological frontiers in renewable energy generation.

Offshore sites located in deep water away from coastlines experience stronger winds, enabling greater power generation.

Fixed-bottom foundations normally installed for conventional offshore wind farms become impractical to install at deeper locations due to their complexity and prohibitive cost in deep waters.

However, the solution that was found was the use of floating turbines, which allowed renewable energy generation facilities to be installed in deep waters.

According to information released by engineers, the project uses a specially designed dynamic subsea cable system, which is flexible enough to adapt to ocean conditions and safely transmit power to the shore.

The majority of the turbine system was built on shore before being moved to its location in the open sea.

It is estimated that this particular floating wind turbine will be capable of producing approximately 44.65 million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. This amount of energy is enough to power 4,200 homes every year.

Engineering challenges behind floating wind farms

The construction of floating wind turbines in deep-sea waters is considered one of the most complex processes in renewable energy engineering.

Such offshore power plants need to withstand constant fluctuations induced by waves, currents and storms to ensure reliable production of electrical energy.

According to research under the title ‘Development and future challenges of offshore floating wind turbine technologies in China’,

The base used for a wind turbine includes elements such as suction anchors, heavy anchor chains and high-performance polyester mooring cables, which help to stabilise the entire structure.

Additionally, ballasting techniques are used to reduce the effects of vibration during operation

Industry experts claim that with improved advances in floating wind energy technologies and reductions in installation costs, offshore projects could increasingly expand into the planet’s deepest oceans.

How China is expanding renewable energy innovation

China has made substantial investments in renewable energy infrastructure over the past decade, from solar farms to hydroelectric systems to offshore wind projects.

The construction of the world’s largest floating wind turbine shows how China is rapidly developing advanced renewable energy systems that will enable it to reduce its carbon footprint. I

It also shows how a trend is developing around the world where large renewable energy systems are being built offshore. According to energy experts,

Floating wind farms will be important for countries that do not have much coastline but have huge wind energy potential in the offshore area.

With growing concerns over climate change and electricity consumption, ventures like the “Three Gorges Pilot” could prove influential in the years to come.

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Top Global Story: US-Iran Deal Talks Drive Markets Higher

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A Dramatic Market Reversal

In a stunning afternoon reversal, Wall Street erased earlier losses and surged to new heights on Thursday as reports emerged that a final US-Iran agreement could be announced within hours. The news that US-Iran deal talks drive markets higher sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a record closing high of 50,285.66, its best level in more than three months.

The index had been trading lower for most of the day, pressured by rising oil prices and stubbornly high bond yields. Then came the headline: Iranian state media, citing Al Arabiya, reported that a final draft of a US-Iran agreement had been reached through Pakistani mediation and could be announced within hours. The Dow ripped higher, erasing its slump and powering back above the 50,000 mark to print fresh session highs.

Key index performances on Thursday:

  • Dow Jones Industrial Average: +276.31 points (+0.55%) to 50,285.66 (record high)
  • S&P 500: +12.75 points (+0.17%) to 7,445.72
  • Nasdaq Composite: +22.74 points (+0.09%) to 26,293.10 

Why Peace Talks Are Moving Markets

The mechanism behind why US-Iran deal talks drive markets higher is straightforward but powerful. The war that began on February 28 has been the single biggest weight on global markets, keeping oil prices bid and inflation persistently sticky. A diplomatic breakthrough threatens to lift that weight.

Oil Prices Plunge on Deal Hopes

Crude prices fell sharply as investors bet on a diplomatic path out of the conflict:

CommodityPrice ChangeSettlement Price
WTI Crude (US)-$1.91 (-1.98%)$96.35/barrel
Brent Crude (Global)-$2.44 (-2.32%)$102.58/barrel

The declines reversed earlier gains that had been sparked by reports that Iran’s supreme leader had ordered enriched uranium to remain inside the country—a move seen as complicating talks with Washington.

The Inflation Connection

The reason equities care so much about a far-off chokepoint in the Persian Gulf is that it runs straight through the inflation pipeline. Crude pushing toward triple digits has been one of the main drivers keeping recent inflation readings near 4% year-over-year, well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

A deal that cools energy prices hands the Fed room it does not currently have. The Dow, packed with rate-sensitive industrials and financials, benefits most directly from this dynamic.


What We Know About the Possible Deal

The Reported Framework

According to reports, the potential agreement includes several key components:

  • Full ceasefire to end the active conflict
  • Guarantees for navigation freedom in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
  • Gradual lifting of economic sanctions on Iran 

The two sides would begin negotiations on remaining unresolved issues within seven days. Notably, the initial reports did not mention Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme—the most contentious issue between the parties.

The Nuclear Sticking Point

Despite the optimism, significant hurdles remain. The United States is currently demanding that Iran:

  1. Halt uranium enrichment for 20 years
  2. Send its near-weapons-grade enriched uranium abroad
  3. Dismantle three nuclear sites: Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan 

Iran, however, maintains that as a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), it has the right to enrich uranium. It has consistently reaffirmed its position that it will not transfer highly enriched uranium overseas.


A Timeline of Recent Developments

The path toward potential peace has been marked by dramatic twists and turns:

  • May 19: Trump announces he has paused a planned attack on Iran after Tehran sent a new peace proposal to Washington. He says there is now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal. 
  • May 20: Two Chinese supertankers exit the Strait of Hormuz after waiting in the Gulf for more than two months, signaling growing confidence in a diplomatic resolution 
  • May 21: Secretary of State Marco Rubio reports “some good signs” in the talks, though he notes that “the Iranian regime itself is somewhat divided”. 
  • May 22 (early): Reports emerge that a final draft agreement has been reached through Pakistani mediation and could be announced within hours

The Bear Case: What the Rally Is Ignoring

For all the optimism, market analysts warn that investors have bought the peace trade before and been burnt. Deadlines slipped through March and April. Ceasefires were declared and then broken. Mediators continue to describe an agenda for talks rather than a signed agreement.

Remaining Tensions

  1. Iran’s distrust of US intentions: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters at a BRICS meeting in India that “we are in doubt about their seriousness” regarding US outreach for new talks. 
  2. Threats of renewed military action: President Trump warned on Wednesday that Washington could launch stronger military action against Iran if negotiations fail, saying, “We may have to hit them even harder.” 
  3. The uranium deadlock: A senior Iranian source told Reuters that no deal has been reached with the US, though gaps have been narrowed. 

As one analyst noted, Thursday’s surge is “the market front-running an announcement, not banking a result”. If the deal slips again, the oil premium and the yield squeeze come straight back, and the Dow gives this move back as quickly as it took it.”


What Comes Next

Kevin Warsh Takes the Fed Chair

Friday marks a significant transition as Kevin Warsh, the rate-cut champion installed by President Trump, is sworn in as Federal Reserve chair. The timing is notable: just as de-escalation with Iran reopens the door to the easing that Warsh has long advocated.

If falling oil prices soften inflation data, the new chair gains political cover to begin cutting rates—a prospect that could fuel further market gains.

Key Risks to Watch

  • Failure to finalize the deal: This would likely send oil prices soaring again and reverse Thursday’s market rally
  • Iran’s nuclear red line: Tehran’s refusal to ship enriched uranium abroad remains a major obstacle
  • Congressional opposition: Any deal will face scrutiny from US lawmakers

The Bottom Line

For now, the news that US-Iran deal talks drive markets higher reflects genuine progress in one of the most consequential geopolitical conflicts of the decade. A diplomatic resolution would ease inflationary pressures, reopen critical shipping lanes, and remove a persistent cloud of uncertainty hanging over global markets.

But as investors have learrepeatedly learned since the war began in February, they must temper their optimismh caution until a final agreement is signed. The gap between “good signs” and a signed deal remains significant, and both sides continue to take hardline positions on the most sensitive issues.

The world—and the markets—will be watching closely in the hours and days ahead.

US-Iran deal talks drive markets higher as the Dow approaches record territory on peace expectations.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Markets are volatile and geopolitical situations can change rapidly.

Jet2, British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet release urgent flight updates for June UK | news

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Britons travelling via Jet2, British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet have been issued an important flight update for the month of June.The rising cost of jet fuel due to the Iran war has severely affected travel plans around the world..

However, passengers flying with the above airlines can be reassured that summer vacation plans are likely to go ahead normally, it is reported. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that customers should feel confident about their bookings, stressing that the airline had no problems securing fuel supplies. Jet2 has also given a similar assurance, saying that it also has enough fuel and will not impose any surcharge.

Britain’s third-largest airline said it had received “positive updates” from its fuel providers, including reports of increased production and additional imports from areas unaffected by the Middle East conflict.

IAG – which owns British Airways, Aer Lingus and Spain’s Iberia – is talking of “pricing adjustments to reflect these higher fuel costs”. A spokesperson said, Independent: “We are not seeing jet fuel supply disruptions, but fuel prices have risen sharply and despite our hedging strategy, which provides some short-term mitigation, we are not insulated from its impact.”

However, Simon Calder assured customers “not to worry” and said, “BA won’t come after you for more cash, and airlines can only charge what the market will bear. And given some of the prices on offer, that’s not much.”

Similarly, Jet2 said it had enough fuel and would not impose surcharges.

The airline and popular tour operator also confirmed that it has no plans to impose any surcharge on flights or holidays booked to cover rising costs such as jet fuel.

Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy said: “We are in regular conversations with our fuel suppliers, and the current picture is of increased production and imports, which means we will continue to move forward with confidence.”

Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary has warned that many European airlines could face severe financial stress – and even risk collapse – if high jet fuel prices persist through the summer.

Despite the turbulent market, he stressed that Ryanair remains “the best insulated, most hedged airline in Europe” and reiterated that the carrier will not impose fare increases or fuel surcharges for its customers.

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Who will benefit most from the SpaceX IPO? Mostly Elon – and some from his inner circle

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Although there have been some surprising revelations in SpaceX’s S-1 as it prepares to become a public company, Elon Musk’s total control over the company is probably not one of them.

I could argue that the weird provision allowing Elon Musk to receive up to a billion more shares once a million people are living on Mars (yes, really) is perhaps the most surprising thing, given that it adds to his already large, company-controlled cache. It is also largely non-serious. By the way, Musk now controls those shares and can vote.

But even a billion additional super-voting rights shares in this company’s founding are irrelevant because Musk is, by far, the company’s largest shareholder.

He holds 850 million Class A shares, which are entitled to 1 vote per share, and another approximately 5.6 billion Class B shares, which are entitled to 10 votes per share. This scenario includes billions of shares owned by one million people living in the SpaceX company-town colony on Mars.

Science-fiction scenarios aside, there are a handful of people who will benefit most if the SpaceX IPO is successful and the stock continues to perform well in the future: 5% shareholders. These are the people who hold at least a 5% stake in the company.

Although the company has not yet revealed how many shares it will sell or at what price, whispers on the street are that the upcoming IPO will raise a whopping $75 billion, with a post-money valuation of $1.7 trillion. At those figures, even a 1% stake is worth $17 billion.

Here’s who has what.

Elon Musk, Founder, CEO, CTO and Chairman. Total SpaceX Stock Holdings: Just Over 6.42 billion shares.

Antonio Gracias, investors and board members. Total SpaceX Stock Holdings: Just Over 503.4 million shares

Gracias is the founder and CEO of Valour Management and a long-time Musk friend, pro-Musk board member and financier. He was on Tesla’s board from its early days until the years after its IPO. During this time, he was also a board member of Musk’s solar company Solar City. Its controversial sale to Tesla. He has backed Musk’s Neuralink and held board roles at companies including The Boring Company. He was also among the financiers who agreed to finance Musk’s failed $97 billion hostile takeover attempt of OpenAI in early 2025.

Luke Nosek, investors and board members. Total SpaceX stock holdings: approx. 33 million shares.

Nosek is the co-founder of venture investment firm GigaFund and fellow PayPal Mafia member. Nosek joined Peter Thiel at Founders Fund early on and led Founders’ first investment in SpaceX. He then took a board seat and has been on the board ever since. GigaFund also backs other Musk companies, The Boring Company and Neuralink.

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX COO. Total SpaceX stock holdings: approx. 12.6 million shares.

Shotwell has been with SpaceX since 2002 and has been COO since 2008. She’s the aerospace engineer genius who runs the day-to-day operations. In another era, with a different majority founder, someone like Shotwell would have been given co-founder status and would likely have had a larger stake in the company. However, people find it difficult to call him underpaid. For example, in 2025, he received a large tranche of restricted stock units, bringing his total compensation that year to $85.8 million.

Brett Johnson, CFO. Total SpaceX stock holdings: approx. 9.6 million shares.

Brett Johnson has been the CFO of SpaceX since 2011. Prior to SpaceX, he held CFO and financier roles in the semiconductor industry.

Ira Ehrenpreis: Investors and board members. Total SpaceX Stock Holdings: 809,050 shares.

Ehrenparis is the founder and managing member of VC firm DBL Partners. He has been on the SpaceX board
Since February 2026, he is also on the board of Tesla.

Randy Glynn, Investors, Board Members. Total SpaceX stock holdings: 277,800 shares.

Glenn is co-founder and managing partner of DFJ Growth.

And there are about 400 other VCs. SpaceX has so far raised about $30 billion in private capital from hundreds of investors, according to PitchBook estimates. No one else has a stake large enough to report, although, again, even a small percentage of the company should be worth billions in the first place.

However, the company did share the prices that these investors paid for their shares. Series A investors paid $1 per share. Series F investors paid $7.50, while the final investors in Series N paid $270 per share.

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Iran says it is considering latest US peace proposal; Trump says he will wait “a few days”

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Twenty Iranian sailors whose ship was seized by US forces near Singapore have returned to Iran, according to Iranian state media.

Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said on Thursday that the release of the 20 Iranian sailors was due to the “generous action of the respected government of Pakistan.”

In a post on X, he described the sailors’ situation as “precarious due to the seizure of their ship.”

Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that its ship had been seized by US forces, but neither Iran nor Pakistan released the name of the ship.

In a social media post last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar returned home via Singapore, referring to 20 Iranian sailors and 11 Pakistanis who were aboard ships seized by the United States on the high seas.

Since the beginning of April, the US has imposed a military blockade of Iranian ports and associated shipping, and it has seized several ships as part of that mission.

Meanwhile, Iran has imposed its own de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, requiring any ships wishing to transit the vital waterway to do so in coordination with its military – often for hefty fees.

According to Iran, recently, several oil tankers have passed through the disputed waterway in coordination with the Iranian Navy. South Korea confirmed that one of its tankers had transited the strait this week in coordination with Iranian authorities.

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World Cup 2026 squads: Every player at this summer’s tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico

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Countries have started naming their 26-man squads for World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

With 48 teams involved in the tournament, which starts on 11 June, there will be more players than ever accomplishing their goal of appearing in football’s most famous competition.

Each country must provide Fifa with a final squad of between 23 and 26 players (at least three of whom must be goalkeepers) by the deadline of 2 June, and a subsequently injured player may only be replaced by someone from a previously submitted 55-man preliminary squad, up to 24 hours before the team’s first World Cup match.

Squads are set to be announced throughout May, with Thomas Tuchel slated to name his 26-man England group on Friday 22 May, while Bosnia and Herzegovina became the first nation to confirm their squad on 11 May.

Here are all the World Cup 2026 squads and every player who will be at this summer’s tournament:

Group A

Mexico

Coach: Javier Aguirre

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Alex Padilla (Athletic Club), Antonio Rodriguez (Tijuana), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna), Carlos Moreno (Pachuca), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Raul Rangel (Chivas)

Defenders: Bryan Gonzalez (Chivas), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Edson Alvarez (Fenerbahçe), Eduardo Aguila (Atletico de San Luis), Everardo Lopez (Toluca), Israel Reyes (America), Jesus Angulo (Tigres), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Jesus Gomez (Tijuana), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Julian Araujo (Celtic), Luis Rey (Puebla), Mateo Chavez (AZ Alkmaar), Ramon Juarez (America), Richard Ledezma (Chivas), Victor Guzman (Monterrey)

Midfielders: Alexei Dominguez (Pachuca), Alexis Gutierrez (America), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Brian Gutierrez (Chivas), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Denzell Garcia (FC Juarez), Diego Lainez (Tigres), Efrain Alvarez (Chivas), Elias Montiel (Pachuca), Erick Sanchez (America), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Isaias Violante (America), Jeremy Marquez (Cruz Azul), Jordan Carrillo (Pumas), Jorge Ruvalcaba (NY Red Bulls), Kevin Castaneda (Tijuana), Luis Chavez (Dinamo Moscu), Luis Romo (Chivas), Marcel Ruiz (Toluca), Obed Vargas (Atletico de Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (AEK), Jesus Angulo (Toluca)

Forwards: Alexis Vega (Toluca), Armando Gonzalez (Chivas), Cesar Huerta (Anderlecht), German Berterame (Inter Miami), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas), Julian Quinones (Al-Qadisiyah), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Santiago Gimenez (Milan)

South Africa

South Africa is set to announce their squad on 27 May.

Coach: Hugo Broos

South Korea

Former Tottenham star Son Heung-min, now at Los Angeles FC, has been selected for his fourth World Cup and will captain a South Korea side that includes five players currently plying their club trade in the UK – Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan plus four midfielders in the form of Stoke’s Bae Jun-ho, Birmingham’s Paik Seung-ho, Swansea’s Eom Ji-sung and Yang Hyun-jun of Celtic. German-born defender Jens Castrop of Borussia Mönchengladbach, who has a Korean mother, also becomes the first player with dual heritage to make a South Korea World Cup squad.

Coach: Hong Myung-bo

Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk)

Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)

Midfielders: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves)

Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besitkas), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)

Czech Republic

Coach: Miroslav Koubek

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Martin Jedlicka (Banik Ostrava), Antonin Kinsky (Tottenham), Jan Koutny (Sigma Olomouc), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jakub Markovic (Slavia Prague), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague)

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (TSG Hoffenheim), David Douděra (Slavia Prague), Matěj Hadas (Sigma Olomouc), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (TSG Hoffenheim), Stěpan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), Vaclav Jemelka (Viktoria Plzen), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Karel Spacil (Viktoria Plzen), Adam Sevinský (Sparta Prague), Martin Vitik (Bologna), Tomas Vlcek (Slavia Prague), Jaroslav Zelený (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague)

Midfielders: Lukas Ambros (Gornik Zabrze), Michal Beran (Sigma Olomouc), Pavel Bucha (FC Cincinnati), Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Krystof Danek (LASK Linz), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Patrik Hellebrand (Gornik Zabrze), Adam Karabec (Lyon), Ondrej Kricfalusi (Banik Ostrava), Tomas Ladra (Viktoria Plzen), David Planka (Banik Ostrava), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Matěj Rynes (Sparta Prague), Lukas Sadilek (Gornik Zabrze), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochůrek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinský (Viktoria Plzen)

Forwards: Adam Hložek (TSG Hoffenheim), Tomas Chorý (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Christophe Kabongo (Mlada Boleslav), Jan Kliment (Sigma Olomouc), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Vasil Kusej (Slavia Prague), Ondřej Mihalik (Hradec Kralove), Vojtěch Patrak (Pardubice), Vaclav Sejk (Sigma Olomouc), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Matej Vydra (Viktoria Plzen)

Group B

Canada

Canada are set to announce their squad on 29 May.

Coach: Jesse Marsch

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia, who beat Wales in the playoffs en route to qualifying for just the second World Cup in their history, became the first side to name their squad on 11 May, with 40-year-old Edin Dzeko the headline inclusion. Roger Milla for Cameroon in 1994 is the only previous outfield player in his 40s to have appeared at a World Cup but former Man City striker Dzeko is set to be added to that exclusive club. Hull midfielder Amir Hadziahmetovic is the only English-based player in the 26-man group.

Coach: Sergej Barbarez

Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)

Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens)

Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke)

Qatar

Coach: Julen Lopetegui

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Shehab Elleithy (Al Shahania), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Mahmoud Abunada (Al Rayyan)

Defenders: Boualem Khoukhi (Al Sadd), Pedro Miguel (Al Sadd), Sultan Al Brake (Al Duhail), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain (Al Arabi), Ayoub Al-Alawi (Al Gharafa), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al Duhail), Rayyan Al-Ali (Al Gharafa), Issa Laye (Al Arabi), Lucas Mendes (Al Wakrah), Mohammed Waad (Al Shamal), Niall Mason (Qatar)

Midfielders: Ahmed Fathi (Al Arabi), Jassim Gaber (Al Rayyan), Assim Madibo (Al Wakrah), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan), Karim Boudiaf (Al Duhail), Mohammed Mannai (Al Shamal), Homam Al-Amin (Cultural Leonesa)

Forwards: Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Tahsin Mohammed (Al Duhail), Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al Gharafa), Ahmed Alaa (Al Rayyan), Sebastian Soria (Qatar), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al Sadd), Mubarak Shannan (Al Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al Wakrah)

Switzerland

Switzerland’s most-capped player Granit Xhaka will head to his fourth consecutive World Cup, while Real Betis full-back Ricardo Rodriguez will do likewise in an experienced squad named by Murat Yakin. Sunderland captain Xhaka will also skipper his country and is joined by three other Premier League players in Nottingham Forest striker Dan Ndoye, Leeds forward Noah Okafor and Burnley attacker Zeki Amdouni, who only returned from a long-term knee injury this month. Young Boys forwards Alvyn Sanches and Joel Monteiro are surprise omissions.

Coach: Murat Yakin

Goalkeepers: Marvin Keller (Young Boys), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient).

Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan), Aurele Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt), Eray Comert (Valencia), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Luca Jaquez (VfB Stuttgart), Miro Muheim (Hamburg), Ricardo Rodriguez (Real Betis), and Silvan Widmer (Mainz).

Midfielders: Michel Aebischer (Pisa), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Ardon Jashari (AC Milan), Johan Manzambi (Freiburg), Fabian Rieder (Augsburg), Djibril Sow (Sevilla), Ruben Vargas (Sevilla), Granit Xhaka (Sunderland), Denis Zakaria (Monaco).

Forwards: Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Breel Embolo (Stade Rennais), Cédric Itten (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Dan Ndoye (Nottingham Forest), Noah Okafor (Leeds).

Group C

Brazil

Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer Neymar has recovered from injury to be part of Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad and will be hoping to make his first appearance for his country since 2023. Chelsea pair Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos were surprise omissions but the squad is strewn with Premier League stars, including Alisson, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, Matheus Cunha and Rayan.

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahçe), Weverton (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Wesley (Roma)

Midfielders: ​Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al Ittihad), Lucas ‌Paqueta (Flamengo)

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), ​Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Neymar (Santos), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

Morocco

Morocco are set to announce their squad on 21 May.

Coach: Mohamed Ouahbi

Haiti

Haiti has included Premier League stars Wilson Isidor and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in their squad for the World Cup, where they will play Scotland in their opening game. All-time top scorer Duckens Nazon – formerly of Coventry and Oldham – is also included to lead the line this summer.

Coach: Sebastien Migne

Goalkeepers: Johnny Placide (Bastia), Alexandre Pierre (Sochaux), Josue Duverger (FC Cosmos Koblenz)

Defenders: Carlens Arcus (Angers), Wilguens Pauguain (Zulte Waregem), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs), Martin Experience (Nancy), Jean-Kevin Duverne (KAA Gent), Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito), Hannes Delcroix (Lugano), Keeto Thermoncy (Young Boys Berne)

Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (Vizela), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolves), Pierre Woodenski (Violette), Dominique Simon (Tatran Presov)

Forwards: Louicius Deedson (Dallas), Ruben Providence (Almere City), Josué Casimir (Auxerre), Derrick Etienne (Toronto), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal), Frantzdy Pierrot (Çaykur Rizespor), Yassin Fortune (Vizela), and Lenny Joseph (Ferencváros).

Scotland

Ross Stewart has come out of the international wilderness to earn a first Scotland call-up since 2022 after banging in the goals for Southampton this season but the likes of Oli McBurnie, Oliver Burke and Kieron Bowie miss out up front. Craig Gordon is one of the goalkeeping options at the age of 43, while Ben Gannon-Doak has recovered from injury sufficiently to be included and teenage winger Findlay Curtis also gets the nod but Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller misses out.

Coach: Steve Clarke

Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers)

Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al-Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Hyam (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic)

Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Finlay Curtis (Kilmarnock), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli)

Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Ross Stewart (Southampton)

Group D

USA

The USA are set to announce their squad on 26 May.

Coach: Mauricio Pochettino

Paraguay

Coach: Gustavo Alfaro

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Roberto Fernandez (Cerro Porteno), Orlando Gill (San Lorenzo), Gaston Olveira (Olimpia), Carlos Coronel (Sao Paulo), Santiago Rojas (Nacional), Juan Espinola (Barracas Central)

Defenders: Gustavo Gomez (Palmeiras), Junior Alonso (Atletico Mineiro), Fabian Balbuena (Gremio), Omar Alderete (Sunderland), Juan Caceres (Dynamo Moscow), Blas Riveros (Cerro Porteno), Alan Benitez (Libertad), Agustin Sandez (Rosario Central), Mateo Gamarra (Cruzeiro), Saul Salcedo (Newell’s Old Boys), Jose Canale (Lanus), Diego Leon (Manchester United), Alexandro Maidana (Talleres), Alcides Benitez (Belgrano), Ronaldo Dejesus (Lanus), Alan Nunez (Nacional)

Midfielders: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United), Mathias Villasanti (Gremio), Kaku (Al Ain), Andres Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps), Ramon Sosa (Palmeiras), Diego Gomez (Brighton & Hove Albion), Damian Bobadilla (Sao Paulo), Braian Ojeda (Orlando City), Matias Galarza (Atlanta United), Robert Piris Da Motta (Cerro Porteno), Alvaro Campuzano (Libertad), Diego Gonzalez (Atlas), Hugo Cuenca (Burgos), Mauricio Magalhaes (Palmeiras), Lucas Romero (Universidad de Chile), Enso Gonzalez (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ruben Lezcano (Olimpia)

Forwards: Oscar Romero (Huracan), Angel Romero (Boca Juniors), Antonio Sanabria (Cremonese), Julio Enciso (Strasbourg), Gabriel Avalos (Independiente), Carlos Gonzalez (Independiente del Valle), Alex Arce (Independiente Rivadavia), Adam Bareiro (Boca Juniors), Lorenzo Melgarejo (Libertad), Isidro Pitta (Red Bull Bragantino), Ronaldo Martinez (Talleres), Gustavo Caballero (Portsmouth), Robert Morales (UNAM), Adrian Alcaraz (Olimpia), Rodney Redes (LDU Quito)

Australia

Australia are set to announce their squad on 1 June.

Coach: Tony Popovic

Turkey

Coach: Vincenzo Montella

Group E

Germany

Germany has handed a shock recall to Manuel Neuer, who has come out of retirement to bolster Julian Nagelsmann’s squad. Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry has missed out after injury but young clubmate Lennart Karl has made the cut.

Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)

Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), David Raum (Leipzig), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton)

Forwards: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray)

Curacao

The smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup, Curaçao, also has the oldest coach in the tournament’s history – 78-year-old Dick Advocaat – and he has selected four players from English clubs in his 26-man squad. Middlesbrough winger Sontje Hansen; Sheffield United’s Tahith Chong; Rotherham midfielders Ar’Jany Martha and Shurandy Sambo, who is on loan at Sparta Rotterdam from Burnley; all make the cut, as do ex-Aston Villa man Leandro Bacuna and his brother Juninho Bacuna, who played for Huddersfield and Birmingham.

Coach: Dick Advocaat

Goalkeepers: Tyrick Bodak (SC Telstar), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo), Eloy Room (Miami FC).

Defenders: Riechedly Bazoer (Konyaspor), Joshua Brenet (Kayserispor), Roshon Van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Jurien Gaari (Abha Club), Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven), and Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam).

Midfielders: Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Leandro Bacuna (Igdır), Livano Comenencia (FC Zurich), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Ar’Jany Martha (Rotherham United), Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), andSK Beveren).

Ivory Coast

The Ivory Coast has included Inter Milan’s Ange-Yoan Bonny after the France youth international had his switch of nationality approved by Fifa. There is a recall for former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe, who was not involved in the Africa Cup of Nations, but neither Wilfried Zaha nor Sebastien Haller has earned inclusion.

Coach: Emerse Fae

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed ​Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)

Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Clement Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Racing Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil `Vicente), Odilon Kossonou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)

Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade ⁠Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Christ Oulai (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor)

Forwards: Simon ‌Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan ​Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar ‌Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann ​Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice)

Ecuador

Coach: Sebastian Beccacece

Group F

Netherlands

The Netherlands are set to announce their squad on 27 May.

Coach: Ronald Koeman

Japan

Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma has missed out on Japan’s squad for the World Cup after a cruelly timed hamstring injury, with Takumi Minamino, another attacking option, sidelined as he recovers from a serious knee issue. Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has endured his own series of set-backs but is in line to make his first appearance for his country in nearly two years.

Coach: Hajime Moriyasu

Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Aya Suzuka (Parma Calcio).

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden), Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Le Havre), Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen), Junosuke Suzuki (FC Copenhagen).

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ao Tanaka (Leeds United), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)

Forwards: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Keito Nakamura (Stade de Reims), Ito Suzuki (Freiburg), Kento Shiode (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden).

Sweden

There were few surprises in the Sweden squad named by Graham Potter, with Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski omitted as expected after a year out of the game with a knee injury. Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak give Potter plenty of firepower up front, with the former Chelsea and West Ham manager hopeful that the latter can find form. “Our challenge is to get Alex in the best moment of the season and for him to hit top form,” Potter said. “Because if he does, he’s a world-class player.”

Coach: Graham Potter

Goalkeepers: Kristoffer Nordfeldt (AIK), Viktor Johansson (Stoke City), Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby ⁠County)

Defenders: Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund), Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa), Isak Hien (Atalanta), Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo), Elliot Stroud (Mjällby AIF), Gustaf Lagerbielke (Braga), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds United), Emil Holm (Juventus), Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Erik Smith (St Pauli).

Midfielders and ​forwards: Taha Ali (Malmö FF), Yasin Ayari (Brighton & Hove Albion), Lucas ‌Bergvall (Tottenham Hotspur), Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United), Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal), Jesper ​Karlström (Udinese), Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic), Mattias Svanberg (VfL Wolfsburg), Besfort Zeneli (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Alexander Bernhardsson (Holstein Kiel), Ken Sema (Pafos).

Tunisia

Tunisia have left out 34-year-old midfielder Ferjani Sassi, who has over one hundred national caps, as well as experienced defender Yassine Meriah, who has 95 caps, from their squad for the World Cup. Ex-Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi took charge of Tunisia in January and has left both players out of friendlies earlier this year, hinting that they wouldn’t earn recalls. Paris Saint-Germain forward Khalil Ayari, who is yet to break into the first team, makes the squad.

Coach: Sabri Lamouchi

Goalkeepers: Sabri Ben Hessen (Etoile Sahel), Abdelmouhib Chamakh (Club Africain), Aymen Dahman (CS Sfaxien)

Defenders: Ali Abdi (Nice), Adem Arous (Kasimpasa), Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Esperance), Dylan Bronn (Servette Geneva), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir), Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping), Omar Rekik (NK Maribor), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Young Boys Berne)

Midfielders: Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City), Ismael Gharbi (FC Augsburg), Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Forwards: Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen), Khalil Ayari (Paris Saint-Germain), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain), Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), Elias Saad (Hannover 96), Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic)

Group G

Belgium

Belgium have gambled on the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, set to appear at a fourth World Cup despite having played just an hour of competitive football this season. Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel and Thibaut Courtois – who has had his own recent injury issues – are also primed for a fourth tournament, while the promising 21-year-old Matias Fernandez-Pardo has committed to the country of his birth, having previously switched allegiance to Spain.

Coach: Rudi Garcia

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg) ‌

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), ⁠Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), ⁠Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona)

Forwards: Charles De ‌Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu ​Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Racing Strasbourg), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), and Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

Egypt

Egypt are set to announce their squad on 29 May.

Coach: Hossam Hassan

Iran

Iran is set to announce their squad on 1 June.

Coach: Amir Ghalenoei

New Zealand

English coach Darren Bazeley has dipped into non-league football to help fill his New Zealand squad with 36-year-old defender Tommy Smith, who plays for National League side Braintree Town, featuring for the first time since 2024. Smith actually appeared for the All Whites at their most recent World Cup in 2010, as did Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, who captains the side. On the other end of the experience spectrum, two-cap Newcastle Jets midfielder Lachlan Bayliss has also been selected by Bazeley.

Coach: Darren Bazeley

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Millwall FC), Alex Paulsen (Lechia Gdańsk), Michael Woud (Auckland FC)

Defenders: Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), Francis De Vries (Auckland FC), Tyler Bindon (Nottingham Forest), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United), Liberato Cacace (Wrexham AFC), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland FC), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers), Callan Elliot (Auckland FC), Tommy Smith (Braintree Town)

Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking FK), Marko Stamenic (Swansea City), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle), Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets)

Forwards: Matt Garbett (Peterborough United), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Eli Just (Motherwell FC), Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Ben Waine (Port Vale), Ben Old (Saint-Etienne), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg), Jesse Randall (Auckland FC)

Group H

Spain

Spain are set to announce their squad on 25 May.

Coach: Luis de la Fuente

Cape Verde

Dublin-born Shamrock Rovers centre-back Roberto Lopes, who first received an international call-up when the manager contacted him via LinkedIn, is part of Cape Verde’s squad for their first-ever World Cup. Coach Bubista has also taken a gamble on the fitness of centre-back ⁠Logan Costa, who played 13 minutes for Villarreal at the weekend in his first action since rupturing his ACL last July, while San Diego goalkeeper CJ dos Santos is the only uncapped player in the squad after having a switch of allegiance from the US approved by Fifa last week.

Coach: Bubista

Goalkeepers: Vozinha (Chaves), Marcio Rosa (Montana), CJ dos Santos (San Diego).

Defenders: Stopira (Torreense), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers), Joao Paulo (FCSB), Diney (Al Bataeh), Logan Costa (Villarreal), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Wagner Pina (Trabzonspor), Sidny Lopes Cabral (Benfica), and Kelvin Pires (SJK).

Midfielders: Jamiro Monteiro (PEC Zwolle), Kevin Pina (Krasnodar), Deroy Duarte (Ludogorets), Telmo Arcanjo (Vitória Guimarães), Laros Duarte (Puskás Akadémia), and Yannick Semedo (Farense).

Forwards: Ryan Mendes (Igdir), Garry Rodrigues (Apollon Limassol), Willy Semedo (Omonia), Jovane Cabral (Estrela Amadora), Gilson Tavares (Akron Tolyatti), Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia), Helio Varela (Maccabi Tel Aviv), and Nuno da Costa (Istanbul Basaksehir).

Saudi Arabia

Coach: Georgios Donis

Uruguay

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa

Group I

France

Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser has been rewarded for his outstanding form for Ligue 1’s surprise package with a spot as France’s third-choice goalkeeper. In a battle of Premier League forwards for the final place in a deep attacking group, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta edges out Tottenham loanee Randal Kolo Muani – a scorer in the final shootout four years ago.

Coach: Didier Deschamps

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Robin Risser.

Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.

Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaïre-Emery.

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and Marcus Thuram.

Senegal

It is a relatively settled provisional squad named by Senegal, who have appealed the stripping of their Africa Cup of Nations crown to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) after the controversial awarding of the final victory to Morocco. A 28-man group will be trimmed before the tournament but Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr are familiar faces in the forward line, while Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye provide solidity further back. Bayern Munich’s 18-year-old midfielder Bara Ndiaye has also been called up.

Coach: Pape Thiaw

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre)

Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), ​Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathe ‌Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), ​Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace)

Iraq

Iraq are set to announce their squad on 1 June.

Coach: Graham Arnold

Norway

Norway are set to announce their squad on 21 May.

Coach: Stale Solbakken

Group J

Argentina

Coach: Lionel Scaloni

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Walter Benitez (Crystal Palace), Facundo Cambeses (Racing Club), Santiago Beltran (River Plate)

Defenders: Agustin Giay (Palmeiras), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Capaldo (Hamburger), Kevin Mac Allister (Union Saint Gilloise), Lucas Martinez Quarta (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Getafe), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Marcos Acuna (River Plate), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gabriel Rojas (Racing Club)

Midfielders: Maximo Perrone (Como), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Guido Rodriguez (Valencia), Anibal Moreno (River Plate), Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors), Alan Varela (Porto), Ezequiel Fernandez (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolas Dominguez (Nottingham Forest), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Tomas Aranda (Boca Juniors), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Matias Soule (Roma), Claudio Echeverri (Girona), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Santiago Castro (Bologna), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Mateo Pellegrino (Parma)

Algeria

Algeria are set to announce their squad on 31 May.

Coach: Vladimir Petkovic

Austria

Ex-Man United boss Ralf Rangnick has included former England youth international Carney Chukwuemeka in his Austria squad for the World Cup after the Borussia Dortmund winger had his switch of international allegiance approved earlier this year. Real Madrid star David Alaba captains the side but fourteen of the 26-strong squad play in the Bundesliga, with Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer and Christoph Baumgartner among the biggest names, while Tottenham centre-back Kevin Danso and veteran striker Marko Arnautovic – formerly of Stoke and West Ham – are also selected.

Coach: Ralf Rangnick

Goalkeepers: Patrick Pentz (Brøndby), Alexander Schlager (RB Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzen)

Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche), ​David Alaba (Real Madrid), Kevin Danso (Tottenham Hotspur), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen), Philipp ‌Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), ⁠Stefan Posch (Mainz), Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), Michael Svoboda (Venezia)

Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Braga), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Alessandro Schopf (Wolfsberger), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg)

Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Crvena Zvezda), Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK)

Jordan

Coach: Jamal Sellami

Group K

Portugal (*one goalkeeper to be removed)

Cristiano Ronaldo heads to a sixth World Cup at the age of 41, having scored at each of his previous five, and will try to follow in the footsteps of Cameroon’s Roger Milla in 1994 by becoming an outfield player in his 40s to make a World Cup appearance. The rest of Roberto Martinez’s squad doesn’t hold any surprises, with Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate Joao Felix joining him up front and Premier League stars such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Diogo Dalot and Matheus Nunes all included. Martinez will remove one of his four goalkeepers before the 2 June deadline to reduce the squad to the permitted 26 players.

Coach: Roberto Martinez

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Silva (Sporting), Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi)

Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Renato Veiga (Villareal), Tomas Araujo (Benfica)

Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samu Costa (Mallorca), Joao Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Joao Felix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincao (Sporting), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Goncalo Ramos (PSG)

DR Congo

Former Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta has earned a recall for DR Congo after just two appearances in the last two years, with the nomadic 34-year-old midfielder selected in ⁠coach Sebastien Desabre’s 26-man squad. Four current Premier League players are in the group in the form of defenders Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki and Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa, while Watford’s Edo Kayembe is also selected.

Coach: Sebastien Desabre

Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege), Timothy ​Fayulu (Noah), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre)

Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika (Larisa), Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian), Gedeon ‌Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Lodz), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur Masuaku (Racing Lens), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United)

Midfielders: Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Brian Cipenga (Castellon), Elia Meshack (Alanyaspor), Gael Kakuta (Larissa), Edo Kayembe (Watford), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngalayel Mukau (Lille), Charles Pickel (Espanyol), Noah ⁠Sadiki (Sunderland)

Forwards: Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis), ⁠Simon Banza (Al Jazira), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids), ‌Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United)

Uzbekistan

Coach: Fabio Cannavaro

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Vladimir Nazarov (Pakhtakor), Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor), Botirali Ergashev (AGMK), Abduvokhid Nematov (Nasaf)

Defenders: Ibrohimkhalil Yuldoshev (Neftchi), Avazbek Ulmasaliev (AGMK), Jakhongir Urozov (Dinamo Samarqand), Rustamjon Ashurmatov (Esteghlal), Mukhammadkodir Hamraliev (Pakhtakor), Umarbek Eshmurodov (Nasaf), Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City), Abdulla Abdullaev (Dibba Al Fujairah), Farrukh Sayfiev (Neftchi), Khojiakbar Alijonov (Pakhtakor), Sherzod Nasrullaev (Nasaf), Muhammadrasul Abdumajidov (Pakhtakor), Behruz Karimov (Surkhon), Diyor Ortikboev (Khorazm)

Midfielders: Kuvondik Ruziev (Neftchi), Sherzod Esanov (Buxoro), Nodirbek Abdurazzokov (AGMK), Odiljon Khamrobekov (Tractor), Umarali Rakhmonaliev (Sabah), Alisher Odilov (Neftchi), Sardorbek Rakhmonov (Nasaf), Akmal Mozgovoy (Pakhtakor), Otabek Shukurov (Baniyas), Jamshid Iskanderov (Neftchi), Jasurbek Jaloliddinov (Sogdiana), Azizjon Ganiev (Al Bataeh)

Forwards: Abbosek Fayzullaev (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jaloliddin Masharipov (Esteghlal), Dostonbek Khamdamov (Pakhtakor), Oston Urunov (Persepolis), Ruslanbek Jiyanov (Navbahor), Azizbek Amonov (Buxoro), Khusain Norchaev (Navbahor), Sherzod Temirov (Erbil), Igor Sergeev (Persepolis), Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir)

Colombia

Colombia are set to announce their squad on 1 June.

Coach: Nestor Lorenzo

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Atletico Nacional), Alvaro Montero (Velez Sarsfield), Camilo Vargas (Atlas), Mosquera Marmolejo (Independiente Santa Fe), Aldair Quintana (Independiente del Valle), Kevin Mier (Cruz Azul)

Defenders: Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace), Jhon Lucumi (Bologna), Alvaro Angulo (Pumas), Santiago Arias (Independiente), Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray), Johan Mojica (Mallorca), Yerry Mina (Cagliari), Cristian Borja (Club America), Juan Cabal (Juventus), Carlos Cuesta (Vasco da Gama), Willer Ditta (Cruz Azul), Junior Hernandez (Deportes Tolima), Deiver Machado (Nantes), Yerson Mosquera (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Edier Ocampo (Vancouver Whitecaps), Jhohan Romana (San Lorenzo), Andres Roman (Atletico Nacional)

Midfielders: Jorge Carrascal (Flamengo), Sebastian Gomez (Coritiba), Nelson Deossa (Real Betis), Kevin Castano (River Plate), Gustavo Puerta (Racing Santander), Juan Manuel Rengifo (Atletico Nacional), Johan Rojas (Vasco da Gama), Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), Juan Portilla (Athletico Paranaense), Jordan Barrera (Botafogo), Jhon Solis (Birmingham City), Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace), Richard Rios (Benfica), Jhon Arias (Palmeiras), Wilmar Barrios (Zenit St Petersburg), Juan Cuadrado (Pisa), Yaser Asprilla (Galatasaray), James Rodriguez (Minnesota United)

Forwards: Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich), Jhon Cordoba (Krasnodar), Luis Suarez (Sporting CP), Sebastian Villa (Independiente Rivadavia), Neyser Villarreal (Cruzeiro), Kevin Viveros (Athletico Paranaense), Stiven Mendoza (Athletico Paranaense), Edwuin Cetre (Estudiantes de La Plata), Jhon Duran (Zenit St Petersburg), Andres Gomez (Vasco da Gama), Rafael Santos Borre (Internacional), Jaminton Campaz (Rosario Central), Johan Carbonero (Internacional), Cucho Hernandez (Real Betis)

Group L

England

England are set to announce their squad on 22 May.

Coach: Thomas Tuchel

Croatia

Ageless wonder Luka Modric is set to play at his fifth World Cup, with the 40-year-old selected to captain Croatia. Roger Milla for Cameroon in 1994 is the only previous outfield player in his 40s to have appeared at a World Cup but AC Milan star Modric is set to be added to that exclusive club. Up front, the injury-plagued Bruno Petkovic and the Croatian league’s top scorer Dion Drena Beljo both miss out, with the likes of Osasuna veteran Ante Budimir, Dallas star Petar Musa and Freiburg youngster Igor Matanovic preferred instead.

Coach: Zlatko Dalic

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (FC Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull City).

Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (HSV).

Midfielders: Luka Modric (AC Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (Torino), Luka Sučić (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakić (Augsburg), Petar Sučić (Inter), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka).

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (PSV), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pašalić (Orlando City), Petar Musa (Dallas), and Igor Matanović (Freiburg).

Ghana

Coach: Carlos Queiroz

Panama

England are set to announce their squad on 26 May.

Coach: Thomas Christiansen



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Football: Europa League Final Takes Centre Stage

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The UEFA Europa League Final has become the biggest story in football as fans across Europe focus on one of the season’s most important matches. With a major trophy on the line and a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League at stake, the final has captured the attention of supporters, players, and clubs alike.

This year’s showpiece event brings together two teams that have battled through a demanding European campaign. From the group stage to the knockout rounds, both sides have overcome tough opponents to earn their place in the final.

Why the Europa League Final Matters

The Football: Europa League Final Takes Centre Stage narrative reflects the growing importance of the competition. While the Champions League remains Europe’s premier club tournament, the Europa League offers clubs a significant opportunity to achieve European success and secure qualification for the following season’s Champions League.

Winning the trophy can transform a club’s fortunes, both financially and competitively. The prestige of lifting a European trophy also strengthens a team’s reputation on the international stage.

Road to the Final

Both finalists have demonstrated consistency and resilience throughout the tournament. Several dramatic knockout ties, late goals, and memorable performances have highlighted the excitement of this season’s Europa League campaign.

Managers have praised their squads for maintaining focus despite balancing domestic league commitments and European fixtures. Their efforts have now earned them a chance to make history.

Fans Create Electric Atmosphere

One of the defining features of any Europa League final is the atmosphere generated by supporters. Thousands of fans have travelled to the host city, creating a festival-like environment around the stadium.

Supporters see the final as a unique chance to watch their club compete for European silverware. Hotels, restaurants, and local businesses often benefit from the influx of visiting fans.

Key Players to Watch

Several star players are expected to play crucial roles in the final. Experienced midfielders, prolific forwards, and dependable defenders could all be crucial in a match where small differences often determine the outcome.

Managers will rely on their most influential players to deliver under pressure, while younger talents may seize the opportunity to announce themselves on one of football’s biggest stages.

Impact on European Football

The Football: Europa League Final Takes Centre Stage story extends beyond the two clubs participating. The result could influence transfer plans, managerial decisions, and preparations for next season.

Success in the competition often attracts new sponsorship opportunities and increases global visibility for the winning club. For the losing side, the final still represents a significant achievement and valuable experience for future European campaigns.

Looking Ahead

As the Europa League Final takes centre stage, football fans around the world are preparing for a thrilling contest. The match promises drama, passion, and high-quality football as both teams aim to end their season with a major European trophy.

Regardless of the result, the final serves as another reminder of the excitement and unpredictability that make European football so popular across the globe.

Conclusion

The Football: Europa League Final takes centre stage as one of the most anticipated events of the football calendar. With silverware, prestige, and Champions League qualification at stake, the match represents a defining moment for both clubs. Fans can expect an unforgettable occasion filled with intensity, emotion, and world-class football.