Young Stars Prepare for World Cup 2026 Debut: Spain, France, and USA in the Spotlight. For the first time since 1994, the FIFA World Cup returns to North America. National teams feature a record number of young players. Spain, France, the USA, and other countries are betting on a new generation.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off in June in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, returning to North America for the first time in more than thirty years. The tournament's main feature will be a record number of young players: according to official data, nearly 900 footballers will make their World Cup debut, including 22 teenagers. Fans and experts are closely watching these new names who could change the course of the tournament.
The Spanish national team is drawing the most attention for Lamine Yamal, who has just turned 18. The Barcelona forward has already become the youngest ever Ballon d'Or nominee and is among the reigning European champions. Despite an injury suffered at the end of the La Liga season, the coaching staff is counting on his participation in the opening match against Cape Verde in Atlanta. Alongside him on the Spanish squad is another young Barcelona player, Pau Cubarsi, as well as 14 players who won Euro 2024.
Portugal is pinning its hopes on João Neves, the 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. He has already won the Champions League and clinched the French championship twice in a row. Neves will make his World Cup debut for the national team, playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. In the 2025 Nations League final, Neves played as right-back and helped Portugal defeat Spain in the penalty shootout.
France is also making its mark: included in the squad is 21-year-old Désiré Doué, who recently transferred from Rennes to Paris Saint-Germain. Doué has already been named the best young player in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and last year he won silver at the Paris Olympics. The youngest player in the French squad remains Warren Zaïre-Emery, who is 20 years old.
In the England team, attention is focused on Kobbie Mainoo, the 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder. He made an impact at Euro 2024, posting the best passing accuracy among midfielders in the last 40 years. Also on England's roster are Nico O'Reilly and Jude Bellingham, who are 21 and 22 years old, respectively.
Senegal is represented by 18-year-old Ibrahima Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain. Mbaye became the youngest goalscorer in the national team's history and a record-holder at the Africa Cup of Nations in the 21st century. This year, he officially switched his football nationality from France to Senegal. Joining him in the squad is another 18-year-old, Bara Sapoco Ndiaye from Bayern Munich.
Germany sees the debut of 18-year-old Lennart Karl, a Bayern Munich midfielder who made it to the first team only this season and has already recorded nine goals and eight assists. Karl became the youngest player to score three consecutive goals in the Champions League, breaking Kylian Mbappé's record.
The youngest member of the US national team is Alex Freeman, 21, who recently transferred from Orlando City to Villarreal. Freeman started out as a forward but now plays as a right-back. Last year, he was named the best young player in MLS and made his debut for the national team. The US will start the tournament with a match against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Mexico has entrusted a spot on the roster to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora from Tijuana. He became the youngest debutant in the history of the national team and has already made his mark at the youth world championship. In the 2025 Gold Cup final, Mora started and helped Mexico defeat the United States. He is expected to play in the team's opening tournament match against South Africa at the stadium in Mexico City.
The spotlight on young players at major tournaments is not a new trend. As russpain.com notes, interest in young talent is also growing in other sports: for example, in basketball, ACB clubs are betting on youth, as detailed in a feature about Baskonia’s fight for second place in the Spanish championship (details here).
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history: matches will be held in 16 stadiums across three countries, and the total number of participating teams has increased to 48. For Spain, the tournament is important not only in terms of sporting ambitions but also as a platform for new names that could shape the future of European and world football. According to FIFA, interest in young players has been steadily growing in recent years, and junior transfers are becoming increasingly significant for Europe's leading clubs.
