Popovic's big calls as he reveals Socceroos World Cup squad
6/1/20265 min
Tony Popovic has named his 26-player Socceroos squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ — and there are some big surprises. Join your host Haylena Krishnamoorthy for this episode of World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast, which breaks down the squad, the notable omissions and the selections that could define Australia's World Cup campaign. Why did Cristian Volpato make the cut after previously turning down the Socceroos? What does the inclusion of striker Tete Yengi say about Popovic's plans? And can this young Australian side make it beyond the FIFA World Cup 2026™ group stage?
World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast is SBS's daily FIFA World Cup 2026™ podcast covering the biggest stories on and beyond the pitch.
In this episode:
- Surprises and notable omissions as Tony Popovic names his 26-player Socceroos squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026**™**
- Could Cristian Volpato and Tete Yengi be key to Australia's World Cup campaign?
- Can this youth-focused Socceroos squad reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stage?
From unforgettable moments, match highlights, emerging stars, FIFA politics, major controversies and the stories shaping the tournament, The 90+ brings you the key talking points from the FIFA World Cup 2026™ every day.
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The FIFA World Cup 26ᵀᴹ kicks off on June 12 (AEST) - with coverage starting for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa from 4am (AEST) - and will be an exclusive broadcast on SBS in Australia.
You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsHelena Krishnamurthy· Host0:01
[upbeat music] This is SBS News World Cup Daily, the 90+ podcast, where we bring you stories on and beyond the pitch, and I'm your host, Helena Krishnamurthy. From unforgettable moments, key and emerging players, as well as match controversies, we'll bring you the biggest talking points each day of the FIFA Men's World Cup 2026. Throughout the matches, you'll hear perspectives from experts and fans, and take a deeper dive into the matches set to be watched by billions. Today, we'll be looking at Popovic's big calls as he reveals the Socceroos squad and the inclusion of Cristian Volpato and Tete Yengi. Hello and welcome to the World Cup Daily, the 90+, and today, the wait is finally over.
Tony Popovic· Soundbite0:49
So I think we've shown that we're not afraid to play the youngsters. Will they be better in four and eight years? Without a doubt, but that's not to say they're not good enough now.
Helena Krishnamurthy· Host0:59
Tony Popovic has named his 26-player Socceroos squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, just in time as all 48 teams were given a deadline of the 1st of June to finalize their teams. And as predicted, there are a couple of surprise inclusions, several notable omissions, and a clear indication of how he wants his team to approach the World Cup. Over the next few minutes, we'll break down the squad and ask the questions we're thinking about. Can this group