By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-06-03 10:36:46 | Updated at 2026-06-07 14:14:35
4 days ago
The FIFA registration deadline of Tuesday June 2 has passed, meaning no player outside the confirmed 26-man lists can take part in the tournament, except as a like-for-like replacement for a serious injury, authorised up to 24 hours before a team’s first match.
Six South American nations are in the field, with their base camps and opening fixtures now confirmed.
Brazil
Base: Columbia Park Training Facility, Morris Township NJ. Group C: Morocco (Jun 13, NJ), Haiti (Jun 19, Philadelphia), Scotland (Jun 24, Miami).
Argentina
Base: Atlanta United Training Center, Atlanta.
Group J: Algeria (Jun 16, Atlanta), Austria (Jun 21, Houston), Jordan (Jun 25, TBC).
Messi leads the defending champions into his record sixth World Cup.
Colombia
Base: Atlas AGA Academy, Guadalajara.
Group K: Uzbekistan (Jun 17, Mexico City), Portugal (Jun 23, Houston), DR Congo (Jun 27, Atlanta).
Key correction: Luis Díaz is registered as a Bayern Munich player, not PSG as stated in earlier editions of this column; he moved clubs before the end of the European season.
Ecuador
Base: Columbus Crew Performance Centre, Columbus OH.
Group E: Ivory Coast (Jun 14, Mexico City), Germany (Jun 19, TBC), Curaçao (Jun 23, TBC).
Willian Pacho and Moisés Caicedo lead the squad after Pacho’s Champions League triumph with PSG.
Uruguay
Base: Mayakoba Training Center, Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Group H: Saudi Arabia (Jun 15, Miami), Cape Verde (Jun 21, Miami), Spain (Jun 26, Guadalajara).
Darwin Núñez leads the attack under Marcelo Bielsa.
Paraguay
Base: Atlanta United Training Center, Atlanta.
Group D: United States (Jun 15, Kansas City), Australia (Jun 19, Boston), Türkiye (Jun 24, Dallas).
Paraguay make their World Cup debut under coach Daniel Garnero, who also guided Universidad Católica’s Copa Libertadores run this season.
KEY STAT: FIFA squad deadline: June 2 (all 48 registered). South American nations: Brazil (Group C), Argentina (Group J), Colombia (Group K), Ecuador (Group E), Uruguay (Group H), Paraguay (Group D). World Cup opens: June 11, Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. WC final: July 19, New York-New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford NJ.
