Australia's World Cup Squad Features Uncapped Talents Yengi and Volpato
Australia's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup includes uncapped players Tete Yengi and Cristian Volpato, both late additions to coach Tony Popovic's pre-tournament training group. Notably, Martin Boyle, a forward with 41 caps for Australia, misses out on selection. Tete Yengi, currently on loan from Livingston to Machida Zelvia, has impressed by scoring six goals in 22 appearances as his Japanese team secured third place in the East Region and reached the Asian Champions League final. In a significant development, Cristian Volpato, a 22-year-old winger from Sassuolo, received Fifa's ratification to switch national allegiances, enhancing Australia's attacking options. Key players poised to make history include: Mat Ryan (Levante) and Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City), both eyeing their fourth World Cup appearance. Aziz Behich (Melbourne) and Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), aiming for their third. Cammy Devlin and Harry Souttar, selected for their second World Cup. Additional squad members include: Cameron Burgess (Swansea City) Nestory Irankunda (Watford) Mohamed Toure (Norwich City) Popovic commented on the selection process, stating, "Some difficult decisions had to be made – that's the nature of major tournaments. But it's also a credit to all the players involved over the past few weeks who worked extremely hard during an extended and challenging pre-camp." Australia will face Switzerland in their final pre-tournament friendly before opening their campaign against Turkey on 14 June.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-05-31