Germany World Cup squad: Full list, predicted lineup, depth chart, latest news

Four-time world champions Germany will be looking to end their 12-year wait for a joint-record fifth title when they compete at the 2026 World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Despite losing their opening match in UEFA qualifying, Die Mannschaft won their remaining five fixtures to finish top of their group containing Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.

Managed by 38-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, Germany have been placed in Group E at this summer’s tournament along with Caribbean debutants Curacao, African giants Ivory Coast and South American outfit Ecuador.

Germany will begin their campaign against Curacao in Houston on June 14, before facing Ivory Coast in Toronto on June 20, and then concluding the group stage against Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at Germany’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

GERMANY'S WORLD CUP 2026 FULL SQUAD LIST

Julian Nagelsmann will officially name his final squad (made up of between 23 and 26 players) at 11:00 (GMT) on May 12.

GERMANY'S MOST RECENT SQUAD (MARCH):

Goalkeepers:

Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg)

Defenders:

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders:

Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Anton Stach (Leeds United), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart)

Attackers:

Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)

GERMANY'S WORLD CUP 2026 SQUAD NUMBERS

Germany’s World Cup squad numbers will be confirmed at a later date.

GERMANY'S WORLD CUP 2026 PREDICTED XI

For several years, Marc-Andre ter Stegen was viewed as the natural heir to Germany icon Manuel Neuer. However, the Barcelona goalkeeper has struggled with injuries and is unlikely to be fit for this summer’s tournament, opening the door for 35-year-old Oliver Baumann to claim the No.1 jersey.

Captain Joshua Kimmich has played in midfield at club level with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but he is a regular at right-back under Nagelsmann, while Leipzig’s David Raum is the most likely candidate to begin as Germany’s first-choice left-back.

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger has suffered with fitness issues throughout this season, so Jonathan Tah and in-demand Nico Schlotterbeck are expected to form a centre-back partnership in a four-man defence.

Although Leon Goretzka has struggled for regular game time at Bayern this term, Nagelsmann has said that the 31-year-old will have an important role to play in his team this summer, so he should link arms with highly-rated Aleksandar Pavlovic in centre-midfield.

Florian Wirtz may be forced to operate on the left flank if Jamal Musiala is given the freedom to strut his stuff as Germany’s No.10, while 18-year-old starlet Lennart Karl – with just two international caps – could rival Galatasaray’s Leroy Sane for the right-wing position.

As long as he remains injury-free, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz will presumably lead the line for Germany, but Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav represent alternative centre-forward options.

Germany predicted XI: Baumann; Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz

GERMANY'S WORLD CUP 2026 DEPTH CHART

Goalkeeper:

Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich), Noah Atubolu (Freiburg), Stefan Ortega (Nottingham Forest)

Right-back:

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart), Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig), Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt), Thilo Kehrer (Monaco), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)

Centre-back:

Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt), Thilo Kehrer (Monaco), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan)

Left-back:

David Raum (RB Leipzig), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)

Defensive midfield:

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Anton Stach (Leeds United), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)

Central midfield:

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Paul Nebel (Mainz 05), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Anton Stach (Leeds United), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)

Attacking midfield:

Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Paul Nebel (Mainz 05), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Anton Stach (Leeds United)

Right wing:

Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Paul Nebel (Mainz 05), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

Left wing:

Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Said El Mala (FC Koln), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

Striker:

Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Said El Mala (FC Koln), Niclas Fullkrug (AC Milan/West Ham United)

GERMANY'S WORLD CUP 2026 SQUAD LATEST NEWS

After being eliminated in embarrassing fashion in the group stage of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Germany are bidding to bounce back and become just the second nation after Brazil to win five World Cup trophies this summer, as well as lift their first world title since 2014.

Positive negotiations are believed to be ongoing between the German Football Association and the German national team players regarding bonuses for participating at this summer’s tournament – their 21st World Cup appearance.

Despite being ranked 10th in the world by FIFA, Nagelsmann’s squad will be regarded as one of the favourites to progress to the latter stages of the tournament, though he will have to cope without at least one star name in the form of Serge Gnabry (torn adductor), who played more games for Germany across qualifying and March's friendlies (eight).

His absence opens the door for Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz to provide the creative spark for Die Mannschaft, while it also strengthens Lennart Karl's hopes of making the final squad.

Meanwhile, Joshua Kimmich will captain Germany at the World Cup. The versatile Bayern star, who has 108 caps to his name, is set to compete at his third World Cup and sixth major international tournament in total.