The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is nearly over. After years of anticipation, intense qualification battles, and a rollercoaster of stories surrounding football’s grandest competition, players and coaches from across the globe are wrapping up their final preparations as they head to the United States, Mexico, and Canada for what promises to be the biggest international football event ever staged.

Yet, as the excitement builds ahead of the opening match in Mexico City on June 11, fans have been holding their breath following every injury scare and every controversial team selection. The absence of some major stars has left many supporters disappointed in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

While some world-class players will watch from home due to their nations failing to qualify, there’s already a noteworthy list of footballers from qualified teams who have missed out — either due to injury or because their managers decided not to include them in the final squads.

Cole Palmer (England)

Few squads boast the depth that England currently have, and manager Thomas Tuchel could easily have named two strong line-ups capable of competing deep into the tournament. Nevertheless, eyebrows were raised when he decided to leave Cole Palmer out of his final 26-man squad.

Palmer’s struggles with form and fitness at Chelsea this past season were well-documented, but his ability to change games — whether starting or coming off the bench — remains unquestioned. A reliable penalty-taker and the scorer of England’s goal in the Euro 2024 final, Palmer’s omission from the flight to North America came as a major shock.

He’s not alone, though. Established names like Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw also missed out, while emerging Premier League stars Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarrod Bowen, Adam Wharton, and Lewis Hall were overlooked despite strong domestic campaigns.

Joao Pedro (Brazil)

Palmer wasn’t the only Chelsea player to miss out. Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to leave Joao Pedro out of Brazil’s World Cup squad surprised many, especially after the forward netted 20 goals for the Blues last season.

Pedro seemed the favourite for Brazil’s No.9 role after starting in a 3-1 victory over Croatia in March, but Ancelotti opted for Brentford’s Igor Thiago instead. Pedro remains on eight caps for the Selecao for now.

Richarlison, Savinho, and Joelinton also failed to make the squad, underlining the immense attacking depth available to Ancelotti heading into his first major tournament as Brazil’s head coach — and that’s before considering those sidelined by injuries.

Rodrygo (Brazil)

Former Real Madrid manager Ancelotti will also be without one of his ex-players, Rodrygo, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in March. After only recently returning from a previous injury, the forward went down clutching his right knee during Madrid’s win over Getafe. Scans confirmed the severity of the injury, ruling him out of a chance at redemption following his missed penalty in Brazil’s 2022 quarter-final defeat to Croatia.

Brazil’s injury woes don’t stop there. Rodrygo’s Madrid teammate Eder Militao is also unavailable after undergoing thigh surgery in April, continuing his unfortunate run of fitness problems, including two ACL tears in just 15 months. He’s expected to be sidelined until October.

Adding to Brazil’s misfortune, teenage prodigy Estevao — who scored five goals in his last six international games — suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Chelsea in April and couldn’t recover in time. His absence is a major blow to Brazil’s attacking options.

Dean Huijsen (Spain)

Spain have made history by naming a World Cup squad without any Real Madrid players — a first in their history. The most surprising omission is Dean Huijsen, who had a mixed first season at the Bernabeu after joining from Bournemouth. Despite that, he was expected to be part of Luis de la Fuente’s plans after starting in six of Spain’s last seven matches when available.

Veteran right-back Dani Carvajal was also left out, possibly marking the end of his international career.

Injuries have also hit Spain hard. Midfielder Fermin Lopez, who recorded 30 combined goals and assists for Barcelona last season, broke his foot and required surgery, ruling him out. Porto striker Samu Aghehowa also misses out after tearing his ACL in February.

Eduardo Camavinga (France)

France boss Didier Deschamps opted to leave Eduardo Camavinga out of his final squad for what will be his last tournament in charge. The Real Madrid midfielder endured a tough second half of the season and had already started slipping down the pecking order for Les Bleus, so his exclusion wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Hugo Ekitike (France)

Deschamps was already aware that Hugo Ekitike would be unavailable after the Liverpool striker ruptured his Achilles in April, ruling him out for the rest of 2026. Ekitike made his France debut in September and impressed with 17 goals for Arne Slot’s Liverpool side, including a winner against Brazil in a March friendly. He’ll now be forced to watch from the sidelines.

Xavi Simons (Netherlands)

The Netherlands, semi-finalists at Euro 2024, have suffered a major setback with Xavi Simons tearing his ACL in late April while playing for Tottenham against Wolves. The 21-year-old had become one of Ronald Koeman’s most trusted players during this World Cup cycle, and his absence significantly weakens the Dutch attack.

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt is another big loss. The centre-back underwent back surgery after struggling with injury since November. Though he initially hoped to delay the procedure, he ultimately had to withdraw. Koeman also decided to leave out Liverpool full-back Jeremie Frimpong and AZ Alkmaar’s rising star Kees Smit.

Serge Gnabry (Germany)

Germany’s attacking options have taken a hit too. Julian Nagelsmann would have hoped to rely on Serge Gnabry, who had scored in four of Germany’s last seven matches. But after an excellent season with Bayern Munich — registering double figures in both goals and assists — Gnabry tore his adductor in training in April, ruling him out of the tournament, just as in 2018.

Kaoru Mitoma (Japan)

Japan, considered potential dark horses, will have to do without star winger Kaoru Mitoma. The Brighton attacker, who scored the winner against England in a March friendly, picked up a hamstring injury late in the Premier League season and won’t recover in time. With Takumi Minamino already sidelined by an ACL tear in December, Japan’s attacking depth has been severely tested.

Johnny Cardoso (United States)

For host nation USA, the pain of missing out is even greater. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso underwent ankle surgery in May, ending his hopes of featuring for Mauricio Pochettino’s team. Striker Patrick Agyemang also misses out after rupturing his Achilles in April while playing for Derby County. Agyemang had scored six goals in 14 international appearances, including one against Portugal in March.

In a controversial move, Pochettino also chose not to include attacking midfielder Diego Luna, despite his consistent performances for Real Salt Lake over the past year.

Luis Angel Malagon (Mexico)

Co-hosts Mexico have lost their first-choice goalkeeper, Luis Angel Malagon, who ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Club America in the CONCACAF Champions League. The Golden Glove winner from last year’s Gold Cup will miss the tournament, but his absence means veteran Guillermo Ochoa could feature in his sixth World Cup at the age of 41.

Christoph Baumgartner (Austria)

Injury concerns continue to haunt teams even in the final days before the World Cup. Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner, after a standout season with 17 goals and eight assists for RB Leipzig, tore a thigh muscle during warm-up before a friendly against Tunisia and will require surgery, ruling him out of the tournament.

Scotland have also suffered a setback, with midfielder Billy Gilmour sustaining a knee injury during a victory over Curacao at Hampden Park. The Napoli player has been forced to withdraw from Steve Clarke’s squad.