The 2026 World Cup will feature a record 48 teams but there are still a host of big-name players who will be absent from this summer’s extravaganza.
Four-time winners Italy and African powerhouses Cameroon are among the nations who failed to qualify, while injuries and selection calls have denied other stars the chance to shine on the biggest stage. Here, we select some players to make an absent 2026 World Cup XI.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (ITALY)
One of the best goalkeepers of his generation, the Manchester City star must sit out yet another World Cup following Italy’s third successive qualification debacle. The Azzurri captain made his senior international debut as a 17-year-old in 2006 but will be in his 30s by the time the next World Cup comes around.
Illia Zabarnyi
ILLIA ZABARNYI (UKRAINE)
Zabarnyi has seamlessly made the transition from Bournemouth to Paris St Germain and, in his first season at the Parc des Princes , helped the French giants retain their Champions League and Ligue 1 titles . However, the 23-year-old defender will be among those with a blank calendar this summer after Ukraine 3-1 lost to Viktor Gyokeres -inspired Sweden in the play-off semi-finals.
Harry Maguire
HARRY MAGUIRE (ENGLAND)
Maguire was quick to voice his dismay at being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad , and perhaps with some justification. The vastly experienced defender is coming off an impressive season at Manchester United and his aerial ability could have been a useful weapon in England’s arsenal.
Matthijs de Ligt
MATTHIJS DE LIGT (NETHERLANDS)
Unlike club-mate Maguire , De Ligt would almost certainly have been on the plane to North America with the Netherlands had he been fit. But the 26-year-old has not played since November due to a back injury and it remains to be seen when he will return after undergoing surgery.
Bryan Mbeumo
BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON)
Another United player, Mbeumo has had a solid if unspectacular first season at Old Trafford but he would have been a guaranteed starter at the World Cup had Cameroon made it. However, for only the fourth time since 1982, the Indomitable Lions will be absent after losing out to Cape Verde and then DR Congo in qualifying.
Outright Betting Odds
2026 World Cup Outright Betting Odds
Country | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Spain | 4/1 | 15.4% |
France | 9/2 | 14.3% |
England | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Brazil | 8/1 | 13.3% |
Argentina | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Portugal | 10/1 | 9.1% |
Bar | 14/1 | 6.7% |
Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Spain are the 4/1 favourites for 2026 World Cup glory but France (9/2), England (6/1), Brazil and holders Argentina (8/1) will also be fancying their chances.
Eduardo Camavinga
EDUARDO CAMAVINGA (FRANCE)
Camavinga played in the 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina in Qatar but the 23-year-old midfielder has not even made Didier Deschamps’ squad for this summer. That has come after a difficult injury-hit season with Real Madrid , who finished without a trophy for the second successive season, and Camavinga will be not picking up any silverware this summer either.
Dominik Szoboszlai
DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI (HUNGARY)
Szoboszlai was Liverpool ’s stand-out player in a hugely disappointing season that ended up costing Arne Slot his job. However, like compatriot and Reds team-mate Milos Kerkez , the 25-year-old Hungary captain won’t be able to show what he can do at the World Cup after his country were edged out by Portugal and the Republic of Ireland in qualifying.
Phil Foden
PHIL FODEN (ENGLAND)
Foden may not have had his best season for Manchester City , nor ever really shone in England colours, but he remains one of his country's most talented players. At 26, Foden still has plenty of time to make his mark on the world stage but he can have few complaints about not getting the call from Tuchel this time.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA (GEORGIA)
Georgia finishing a distant third behind Spain and Turkey in qualifying robbed the World Cup of seeing one of the game’s best forwards strutting his stuff on the global stage. Fast, skilful, direct and with an eye for goal, Paris St Germain wizard Kvaratskhelia is likely to go down as a modern-day great, but Saturday’s Champions League final win over Arsenal will be the 25-year-old’s last competitive football until next season now.
Victor Osimhen
VICTOR OSIMHEN (NIGERIA)
Cameroon were not the only African giants who failed to qualify and Nigeria ’s absence for a second successive edition means Osimhen will not be there to terrorise opposing defences. Still only 27, the pacy and powerful hitman could yet get the chance to grace a World Cup but Nigeria’s penalty shoot-out defeat to DR Congo in the qualifying play-off final means it will not be this year.
Robert Lewandowski
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (POLAND)
Lewandowski has played in two World Cups and scored his first goal at Qatar 2022 but that looks to be all she wrote for Poland’s best-ever player. The departing Barcelona forward, who is approaching 100 international goals, will be almost 42 by the next World Cup after Poland suffered a last-gasp 3-2 defeat to Sweden in the play-off final.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Sandro Tonali (Italy), Alvaro Morata (Spain), Trent Arnold-Alexander (England), Cole Palmer (England), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Germany), Rodrygo (Brazil), Joao Pedro (Brazil), Alexander Mitrovic (Serbia) , Hugo Ekitike (France), Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands).
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