Germany 2026 World Cup preview: Squad, fixtures and prediction | Can Julian Nagelsmann's side reverse recent history?

Few nations arrive at a World Cup carrying the sheer weight of expectation that Germany do, and Die Nationalelf have certainly failed to deliver on their last two attempts.

Four times world champions - in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014 - they were for decades the definition of what a tournament team should look like: reliable, organised, capable and clinical.

That reputation made successive group stage exits at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 all the harder to process, with Germany becoming the only four-time champions ever to suffer back-to-back first-round eliminations.

The damage went deeper, cutting into the identity of a football culture that had come to regard reaching the latter stages of the World Cup as a right rather than a target.

Julian Nagelsmann, appointed in September 2023 to address that slide, has broadly delivered so far: a run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 on home soil, then a Nations League semi in June 2025 both pointed towards progress.

World Cup qualifying was not entirely without incident, however: Slovakia beat Germany 2-0 in Bratislava on the opening night, a result that briefly threatened to give the group a more uncomfortable complexion than expected.

Yet, the Germans recovered to win every remaining qualifier, ending with a 6-0 demolition of essentially the same Slovakia side.

The major storyline from Nagelsmann's squad announcement was, without doubt, Manuel Neuer's decision to reverse his international retirement at the grand age of 40, confirming he is still considered the best available goalkeeper.

At the other end of the spectrum, young stars Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are establishing themselves as the most exciting German creative partnership in a generation.

Talent is not in short supply, but a nation that previously won the World Cup three times in 36 years - and reached the quarter-finals or better in 17 consecutive tournaments - still arrives in North America as hopefuls rather than favourites.

Germany 2026 World Cup group and fixtures

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Germany are in Group E of the 2026 World Cup, alongside Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

As a seeded nation, topping the group would deliver so-called 'bracket protection' that keeps other Pot 1 sides at bay until the last 16 or later - provided all relevant seeds also win their groups.

Finishing second or third strips away that advantage, so Nagelsmann will treat winning Group E as mandatory rather than preference.

Ecuador, ranked 23rd by FIFA and currently unbeaten in 19 consecutive matches, represent the most credible threat for top spot despite a low-scoring qualifying record of 14 goals from 18 games.

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is the all-action hub that makes them tick, and their watertight defence conceded just five goals across the long South American qualifying cycle.

Ivory Coast, who won the Africa Cup of Nations on home turf in 2023, produced an even better defensive record in qualifying - they kept a clean sheet in all 10 of their fixtures, while scoring 25 times at the other end.

AFCON-winning coach Emerse Fae is still in charge; he was part of the Ivorians' 2006 squad in Germany but failed to play a single minute.

By contrast with their opponents, little Curacao are making their first appearance and are the smallest nation by population ever to qualify. Their wily 78-year-old manager Dick Advocaat will become the oldest head coach in World Cup history.

Germany's possible road to the final

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As a Pot 1 nation ranked 10th in the world, Germany are positioned in a bracket that - should they win Group E and other top seeds also win their groups - would keep old foes France at arm's length until the last 16.

The most likely route begins with a last-32 tie against a third-placed qualifier, before that crunch showdown with Les Bleus.

Then, the Netherlands could await in a potential quarter-final, before a possible semi-final clash against Spain.

Another European adversary could meet Die Nationalelf if they get through to the final, as England are projected as their most probable opponents at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

However, finishing second in Group E would seriously complicate that picture, particularly as Nagelsmann's men might have to beat either Norway or Senegal before reaching France.

Of course, finishing third is even more precarious: only eight of the 12 third-placed teams progress. So, yet another group-stage elimination then becomes a very real prospect.

Finishing fourth? Time to pack your bags.

Germany 2026 World Cup squad

© Imago / Lackovic

Nagelsmann named his initial 26-man squad on May 21, when one decision stood above all others: Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024, reversed that decision and was confirmed as Germany's starting goalkeeper.

At the age of 40, the Bayern Munich stopper is widely considered past his brilliant best, and a persistent calf injury subsequently kept him out of both warm-up games, so it remains to be seen whether that was the right call.

Serge Gnabry was the most high-profile enforced absence, with a thigh injury ruling out one of the squad's most experienced wide men.

His Bayern teammate Lennart Karl, 18, was called up and had been vying with Leroy Sane for the right-wing position, but a muscle tear suffered in Chicago during the final training camp then ruled him out.

RB Leipzig rising star Assan Ouedraogo - who scored 102 seconds after coming on for his senior international debut in the 6-0 thrashing of Slovakia last November - was selected in Karl's place.

Germany's growing depth in the striker department gives Nagelsmann a nice headache to resolve: Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav all offer contrasting profiles, though Havertz might be slightly ahead of the others.

On either flank, Sane, Jamie Leweling and Ouedraogo will now compete for a place on the right wing; Wirtz tends to drift inside from the left.

Germany 2026 World Cup predicted starting XI

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After experimenting at first, Nagelsmann has since used the same 4-2-3-1 shape throughout most of his Germany tenure, and Neuer is confirmed as the starting goalkeeper.

Oliver Baumann deputised during Neuer's absence, but he must now settle for a back-up role, providing reliable cover for his injury-prone teammate.

The back four is largely settled, with captain Joshua Kimmich at right-back, Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck as the preferred central pairing, and David Raum the most likely starter at left-back.

Schlotterbeck's natural left foot gives him the edge over Antonio Rudiger in the centre, but Nathaniel Brown's performances in both warm-up games have pressed home his claims to replace Raum.

Aleksandar Pavlovic is established as the first-choice midfielder, while Goretzka must hope his experience of major tournaments can earn him the second pivot slot over Felix Nmecha, who started both pre-tournament friendlies.

Wirtz and Musiala occupy two creative positions behind Havertz, who is the preferred striker when fit. A week after scoring for the second time in a Champions League final, the Arsenal forward headed home from a Kimmich free-kick against the United States last time out.

Now aged 30, but still blessed with supreme pace and skill, Sane is now the most likely right-winger following Karl's ill-timed injury.

Germany 2026 World Cup squad depth

At left-back, Raum was Nagelsmann's automatic selection throughout qualifying, but Brown started both pre-World Cup friendlies, and the 22-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt defender made a good case to play against Curacao.

As Karl and Gnabry are unavailable, the right-wing slot remains open: Sane, whose time at Galatasaray has failed to reproduce his Bayern peak, does not always convince, while Leweling and Ouedraogo provide different options.

The second central midfield place alongside Pavlovic is another close call: Nmecha is the man in possession but Goretzka's vast experience and willingness to drive forward from deep makes him hard to drop.

An intelligent operator, Havertz is clearly the Germans' best forward, but Woltemade, at 1.98m, brings a physical presence that could prove useful against certain opponents.

More of a 'fox-in-the-box', Undav's 19-goal Bundesliga season and his ability to make an impact from the bench gives Nagelsmann a potent late-game option.

Meanwhile, Rudiger, Malick Thiaw and Waldemar Anton all provide competent centre-back cover behind the first-choice Tah-Schlotterbeck pairing.

Julian Nagelsmann: Manager profile

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Nagelsmann was appointed Germany's Bundestrainer in September 2023, selected as Hansi Flick's successor.

Four defeats in five matches had prompted the DFB to make their first-ever sacking, so Nagelsmann - aged 36 at the time - became the youngest man ever to take on the role.

Doubts were naturally aired, but his track record at club level spoke for itself.

Appointed by Hoffenheim in February 2016 at the tender age of 28, he became the then-youngest permanent manager in Bundesliga history before moving to Leipzig in 2019.

After leading the latter to an unprecedented Champions League semi-final in 2020, he joined Bayern Munich one year later, in a deal worth a reported €25m in compensation.

He then won the league title at the first attempt, before being hastily replaced by Thomas Tuchel as the Bavarians' boss in spring 2023.

Under Nagelsmann, Germany reached the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on home soil, where Mikel Merino's 119th-minute header cruelly ended their tournament, before they finished fourth in the most recent UEFA Nations League.

Die Nationalelf's World Cup qualifying campaign ultimately produced five wins from six, with a big final-night win over Slovakia confirming top spot and making up for a dismal opening defeat in Bratislava.

Nagelsmann's contract was then extended to 2028, but it includes a break clause that would allow the DFB to terminate his employment in the event of a group stage exit this month - so plenty is at stake for both manager and federation.

Florian Wirtz: Germany's star player

© Imago / Nico Herbertz

A huge Bundesliga star before moving to England last summer, Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in July 2025, becoming one of the most expensive players in Premier League history.

His first season only produced five goals and three assists in the league, a return that reflects his slow adaptation period within a struggling side.

Still, at the age of 23, Wirtz has already accrued 41 Germany caps and 11 international goals, including the opening goal of Euro 2024 against Scotland, plus a late strike against Spain in the quarter-finals.

His Germany form has not suffered despite failing to hit the heights in Premier League football. In qualifying, Wirtz only scored once, in the September 2025 game against Northern Ireland, but still showed his real value as a creator.

The playmaker delivered 21 key passes across six matches, with 2.49 expected goals assisted - the highest figures of any Germany player. He also recorded two assists in the 6-0 win over Slovakia.

Nagelsmann has described the Wirtz-Musiala partnership as a unit, with both players operating in half-spaces to combine fluidity with a direct goal threat. Together, they represent the most dynamic creative pairing Germany have taken into a World Cup for quite some time.

This will be Wirtz's first senior global finals, and how he deals with the sheer scale of expectation could decide how far his nation can go.

Key players to watch

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Jamal Musiala suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle in the Club World Cup quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain last summer, and he missed 196 days before returning for Bayern Munich's 5-1 win over Leipzig in January.

After providing an assist on his comeback, the 23-year-old soon rediscovered his best form; having scored in the recent 4-0 friendly win over Finland, Nagelsmann noted that "even at 95 per cent, he is one of the outstanding players in world football."

Influential captain Joshua Kimmich now plays at right-back for Germany rather than the central midfield role he occupies at Bayern, releasing him into wide areas to deliver dangerous crosses.

An expert from set pieces, his 108 caps make him Die Nationalelf's most experienced active international, and his ability to control the tempo from deep defines the shape of his team both in and out of possession.

Also adept on the deck, Nick Woltemade is nearly two metres tall and provides a different attacking dimension from any other striker in the squad.

His four qualifying goals made him Germany's top scorer en route to this World Cup, notching at a rate of one every 120 minutes - notably, three of those goals opened the scoring.

A distinct physical presence in and around the box gives Nagelsmann an aerial option that nicely supplements his other attackers.

Kai Havertz is the preferred centre-forward when fit, though he is more comfortable when dropping deep and acting as a target for Wirtz and Musiala to play off.

Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav racked up 19 Bundesliga goals in 2025-26, the highest total by any German player in the division. After his 88th-minute winner against Ghana in March, Nagelsmann said "you cannot leave a player like him at home."

Germany 2026 World Cup strengths and weaknesses

Germany recent form under Julian Nagelsmann

Momentum has been building. Germany enter the tournament on a run of nine consecutive wins stretching back to September 2025, a streak that encompasses their final five qualifying games and all four subsequent friendlies.

Those games included a 4-3 away win over Switzerland where Wirtz contributed to every goal, a 2-1 win over Ghana settled by Undav's late finish, a 4-0 rout of Finland and a 2-1 victory over the United States in Chicago.

The only blemish over the past 10 outings was that 2-0 qualifying loss in Bratislava, which opened the campaign in the worst possible way but proved to be an isolated result. Germany conceded only once in the five games that followed it.

Opta's qualifying data reflects their status as true World Cup contenders: Germany ranked in the top three of European qualifiers for possession and inside the top five for passing accuracy.

Germany World Cup record

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Past masters, Germany are making their 21st World Cup appearance - more than any other European nation and second overall only to Brazil.

They arrive in North America with four previous titles, four runner-up finishes and four bronze medals - a haul of podium places that no other country comes close to matching.

However, limp group-stage exits in both 2018 and 2022 broke a run of 17 consecutive tournaments in which Germany had reached at least the quarter-finals, a period stretching from 1954 to 2014.

How Germany qualified for the 2026 World Cup

© Imago / Nico Herbertz

Germany qualified by winning UEFA Group A with a record of five wins and one defeat from six games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three, seeing off Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.

The opening game in Slovakia brought an unexpected 2-0 defeat, and Nagelsmann was unambiguous in calling it a "disjointed" showing that required immediate correction.

That correction came three days later with a 3-1 home win over Northern Ireland, and Germany then won each remaining fixture: Luxembourg 4-0 at home, Northern Ireland 1-0 away, Luxembourg 2-0 away, and finally Slovakia 6-0 at home on November 17 to confirm top spot.

Woltemade finished as their leading scorer with four goals, while Wirtz led the campaign for creative output with 21 key passes and 2.49 expected goals assisted.

Germany 2026 World Cup prediction

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Group E should present few serious difficulties: Curacao on June 14 is an ideal opener, and Ecuador's modest tally of 14 goals from 18 qualifiers reflects a team built not to concede rather than threaten Germany's defence.

Ivory Coast could prove tricky opponents in Toronto, but a recent sequence of nine wins from 10 makes Die Nationalelf clear favourites to finish first.

Assuming they progress through a subsequent last-32 tie, the prospect of facing France in the last 16 looms large; yet victory there could set the Germans alight.

Given their potential opposition, even reaching the quarter-finals would represent a minor achievement, but Germany boast enough creativity to beat most teams in the tournament.

Actually winning a World Cup requires a consistent level that Nagelsmann's side has yet to demonstrate in the biggest moments, so we expect them to fall short of a fifth global crown.

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