Carlo Ancelotti and the Brazilian national team’s technical staff will send a preliminary squad list for the 2026 World Cup to FIFA this Monday (11). The list can include up to 55 players, with at least four goalkeepers. The final 26-man squad will be announced next Monday (18).
Dubbed the “broad list” by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the preliminary selection is not expected to be made public but is unlikely to contain any major surprises. In his ten matches as Brazil head coach, Ancelotti has used 51 players and fielded four different goalkeepers. This leaves room for all of them plus four additional spots for players yet to be tested.
Among the potential newcomers, two names stand out as likely candidates. The most obvious is Neymar, currently playing for Santos. The other is Pedro, who is in excellent form for Flamengo and has been closely monitored by Ancelotti or other members of the coaching staff in recent weeks.
Despite being injured and his World Cup participation still uncertain, Estêvão is also expected to be on the preliminary list. Unless something changes in the next seven days, his name should be included when Ancelotti announces the final squad next week.
According to World Cup regulations, the final 26-man list can be modified up to 24 hours before Brazil’s opening match “in case of serious injury or illness,” provided it is supported by medical reports, including from FIFA. For goalkeepers, changes due to injury can be made at any point during the tournament. However, any replacement must come from the preliminary list submitted this Monday, which is why FIFA requires teams to name at least four goalkeepers.
Alisson and Ederson are guaranteed spots in the World Cup squad, and Bento is set to be the third-choice goalkeeper. In this context, Hugo Souza appears as the fourth name.
The preliminary list also includes an extensive technical staff. Alongside Carlo Ancelotti, his direct assistants and coordinator Rodrigo Caetano, the list includes doctors, physiologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and other professionals working with the national team. For the World Cup, the staff must be reduced to 27 members.
