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The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to showcase an unprecedented eight players aged 40 and above in the tournament squads. This surpasses the total of such players from all previous 22 tournaments combined by one, as reported by various sources.

Scotland's goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who will be 43 during the tournament, is anticipated to be the oldest player. If he takes the field, he would become the second-oldest player to appear in a World Cup, following Egypt's Essam El Hadary, who played at 45 in 2018. However, Gordon is expected to be a backup for the primary goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, will be the oldest outfield player, marking his participation in a record sixth World Cup, alongside Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa, who is 40, and Lionel Messi, who will turn 39 shortly.

Additional players over 40 include Cape Verde's debut goalkeeper Vozinha and Germany's Manuel Neuer, a 2014 World Cup champion, who is working to recover from a calf injury to play against Curacao in Houston. Uruguay's Fernando Muslera will celebrate his 40th birthday just before Uruguay's opening match against Saudi Arabia in Miami.

FIFA has announced that the 2026 World Cup will achieve record participation, with final squad lists indicating that 1,248 players from 48 nations will compete. This edition will feature more teams, players, and matches than any previous World Cup, according to the FIFA website.

Argentina, led by the iconic Lionel Messi, are the current World Cup champions after their victory in the 2022 tournament held in Qatar. They triumphed over France in a dramatic final that concluded with a penalty shootout (4-2) after a 3-3 draw in extra time.