The rules explained: can players outside the pre-list be called up?

The rules explained: can players outside the pre-list be called up?

The wait for the final Brazil national team squad for the 2026 World Cup is coming to an end.

The CBF has already officially submitted to FIFA a preliminary list containing 55 names (49 outfield players and 6 goalkeepers). From this group, head coach Carlo Ancelotti will select the 26 players who will chase Brazil’s sixth World Cup title in North America.

The final announcement will be made next Monday (18) at 5 p.m., at the Museum of Tomorrow, in Rio de Janeiro.

But the question hanging over fans is: can a player who is not on this list of 55 names still go to the World Cup?

According to FIFA’s official World Cup regulations, the short answer is no, unless an extraordinary situation occurs.

The Rules

Before the final squad announcement: The preliminary list can only be changed up until the moment of the final call-up in “exceptional cases,” a term FIFA does not define specifically, but which generally refers to sudden serious injuries or legal/medical issues that prevent the original player from taking part.

After the final squad announcement (cuts): If one of the 26 called-up players suffers a serious injury up to 24 hours before Brazil’s opening match in the tournament, he may be withdrawn and replaced. FIFA’s medical committee must certify the severity of the injury.

The replacement: The golden rule is that the player called up to fill that vacancy must necessarily be on the original preliminary list of 55 names submitted by the federation.

The goalkeeper rule: FIFA’s only permanent exception concerns goalkeepers. If a goalkeeper suffers a serious injury at any point during the competition, he may be replaced by another player, even if that replacement was not on the original preliminary list.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.