- Man City have confirmed 18 players for the World Cup
- Haaland and Rodri are among the biggest names involved
- The tournament could affect City’s pre-season plans
Manchester City’s squad will have a major presence at this summer’s World Cup as several first-team players prepare for international duty.
City have spent years building one of the most international squads in European football. Likewise, it has helped the club compete across several competitions under Pep Guardiola.
However, tournament summer can also create problems for clubs at the very top of the game. Players who go deep into major international competitions often return later for pre-season.
Likewise, fitness, recovery and squad integration remain challenging for these clubs in the upcoming season. Nevertheless, City have confirmed the scale of their involvement at this summer’s tournament.
Man City players confirmed for World Cup
According to Manchester City’s official website, 18 first-team players have been confirmed for the 2026 World Cup.
City’s list includes James Trafford, Marc Guehi, John Stones and Nico O’Reilly in the England squad. Jeremy Doku was named in the Belgian team for the tournament, while Portugal saw three Man City players in their squad.
Likewise, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva all made the final selection for Portugal, while Omar Marmoush will represent Egypt this summer. Rayan Cherki was also included by France.
Erling Haaland is set for his first World Cup. Furthermore, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic also made the cut for Croatia.
Manuel Akanji will play for Switzerland in the summer, and Rodri for Spain. Lastly, Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders have been confirmed by the Netherlands, while Rayan Ait-Nouri maintains his Algerian spot.
World Cup workload gives City a summer issue
City will naturally take pride in having so many players involved on the biggest international stage. While City’s list is not exhaustive, it is expected to be updated following further announcements.
Regardless, the inclusion of 18, with potentially more to come, reflects the quality of the squad Guardiola has been able to rely on across various positions.
However, this could also become a delicate issue before the 2026/27 campaign. The World Cup begins on June 11, with the final stages likely to delay the return of several players.
While the Citizens have already managed a heavy fixture load at the end of the season, further pressure on the players during the summer will add to the exhaustion.
City depth will be tested again
Nevertheless, the Sky Blues already have multiple players covering different positions. Furthermore, several of them are versatile enough to play in multiple positions.
However, departures alongside Pep Guardiola will affect the FA Cup winners. Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Manuel Akanji will have left by the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
There could be more movement during the summer, but the World Cup could delay some of that uncertainty until after the tournament.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that the Carabao Cup winners will be hoping that their players survive the competition unscathed.
