The youngest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is Mexico’s Gilberto Mora, 17 years and 240 days old and the only player under 18 across all 1,248 players at the tournament. Around him, 21 other teenagers are making their World Cup debuts, from established stars like Lamine Yamal to largely unknown 18-year-olds getting their first taste of international football’s biggest stage.
5 quick facts about the youngest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
- Gilberto Mora (Mexico) is the only player under 18 in the entire tournament.
- 22 teenagers feature in total across all 48 squads, the highest count in recent World Cups.
- Lamine Yamal (Spain, 18) does not rank in the top 10 youngest, the field is that young.
- Senegal and Bosnia and Herzegovina each have two teenagers in their squads.
- The youngest 6 players in the tournament all play for nations outside the traditional favourites.
Who are the 10 Youngest Players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
1. Gilberto Mora: Mexico | 17 years, 240 days
Position: Attacking Midfielder | Club: Club Tijuana
Mora is the youngest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the only teenager under 18 among all 1,248 players. Born October 14, 2008, in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, he was selected by Mexico coach Javier Aguirre for the home World Cup.
At club level, he has made 53 appearances for Club Tijuana with 10 goals and 2 assists. Internationally, he became the youngest winner of a FIFA-recognised men’s tournament when Mexico won the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, breaking records previously held by Lamine Yamal and Pelé.
He already holds the record for youngest player ever to represent Mexico at a World Cup, appearing as a substitute against South Africa in the tournament opener.
2. Hugo Sochůrek: Czechia | 18 years, 4 days
Position: Midfielder | Club: Sparta Prague
Hugo Sochůrek turned 18 just four days before the tournament kicked off, making him the second-youngest player in the field. He made his Czech Republic debut in a 2-1 warm-up win over Kosovo and was a surprise inclusion in coach Miroslav Koubek’s squad. He has limited senior appearances but showed enough in youth football at Sparta Prague to earn the call.
3. Lennart Karl: Germany | 18 years, 109 days
Position: Midfielder | Club: Bayern Munich
Germany’s youngest representative at the tournament is part of the post-Müller generation Julian Nagelsmann is building. Lennart Karl sustained an injury in the lead-up to the tournament and missed the opening matches, putting his World Cup minutes in doubt. His inclusion still signals where German football is heading.
4. Ibrahim Mbaye: Senegal | 18 years, 138 days
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Senegal have produced a steady line of elite young players at international level for over a decade, and Ibrahim Mbaye is the latest. At 18, he is one of two teenagers Senegal selected, showing the country’s continued commitment to integrating youth without sacrificing competition for places.
5. Hamza Abdelkarim: Egypt | 18 years, 161 days
Position: Midfielder
Egypt’s youngest selection at the 2026 tournament. With Mohamed Salah leading the squad at 34, Hamza Abdelkarim represents the next chapter for Egyptian football. His inclusion is a development pick as much as a selection for the present.
6. Bara Sapoko Ndiaye: Senegal | 18 years, 162 days
Position: Forward/Winger
Just one day older than Abdelkarim, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye is Senegal’s second teenager at the tournament. His presence alongside Mbaye is no accident, it reflects a deliberate Senegalese strategy of building squad depth across age groups rather than relying purely on their senior core.
7. Mladen Jurkas: Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 years, 247 days
Position: Midfielder
Bosnia and Herzegovina selected two teenagers for this tournament, and Mladen Jurkas is the younger of the pair. His inclusion alongside compatriot Kerim Alajbegović points to a squad that is balancing a current run in international football with building for future cycles.
8. Ayyoub Bouaddi: Morocco | 18 years, 252 days
Position: Midfielder
Morocco have been one of the most exciting teams in world football since their 2022 semi-final run, and Ayyoub Bouaddi is their youngest player here. He joins a squad that mixes experience with youth better than most African nations currently do.
9. Kerim Alajbegović: Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 years, 263 days
Position: Midfielder/Defender
Bosnia’s second teenager at the tournament. At 18, Kerim Alajbegović is still developing at senior level, but his selection alongside Jurkas shows the coaching staff are actively thinking about what this squad looks like in 2030.
10. Rayan Elloumi: Tunisia | 18 years, 267 days
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Rayan Elloumi rounds out the top 10 youngest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Tunisia’s inclusion of an 18-year-old reflects the broader generational shift happening across African football, where youth development has accelerated significantly over the past decade.
Notable Teenagers Just Outside the Top 10
Several of the most-watched young players at this tournament fall just outside the top 10 by age, including some of the biggest names in world football right now.
| Player | Country | Age | Club | Why They Matter |
| Lucas Herrington | Australia | 18y, 279d | Colorado Rapids | First World Cup for Australia’s emerging defensive talent |
| Lamine Yamal | Spain | 18y, 333d | FC Barcelona | Won Euro 2024 at 16; one of the best players in the world at 18 |
| Kendry Páez | Ecuador | 19y, 38d | River Plate (loan, Chelsea) | Youngest scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying history at 16 |
| Pau Cubarsí | Spain | 19y, 140d | FC Barcelona | Champions League regular at 19; Spain’s starting centre-back |
| Yan Diomande | Ivory Coast | 19y, 209d | RB Leipzig | 13 goals, 10 assists across all competitions in 2025–26 |
| Endrick | Brazil | 19y, 325d | Lyon (loan, Real Madrid) | Brazil’s teenage striker finishing the season strongly in Ligue 1 |
Which Country Has the Most Teenagers at the 2026 World Cup?
Two countries sent two teenagers each. Every other nation in the top 10 sent one.
| Country | Teenagers in Squad | Players |
| Senegal | 2 | Ibrahim Mbaye, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | Mladen Jurkas, Kerim Alajbegović |
| Spain | 1 | Lamine Yamal |
| Mexico | 1 | Gilberto Mora |
| Czechia | 1 | Hugo Sochůrek |
| Germany | 1 | Lennart Karl |
| Egypt | 1 | Hamza Abdelkarim |
| Morocco | 1 | Ayyoub Bouaddi |
| Tunisia | 1 | Rayan Elloumi |
| Australia | 1 | Lucas Herrington |
Ivory Coast and Ecuador both have 19-year-olds (Yan Diomande and Kendry Páez respectively) who narrowly miss the teenager cut depending on exact birth dates relative to squad confirmation.
How Does 2026 Compare to Previous World Cups?
The 2026 tournament has expanded to 48 teams for the first time, which partly explains the rise in teenage players. But the number of teenagers per squad has also increased, showing that coaches are more willing to trust youth on the biggest stage.
| Tournament | Teams | Total Players | Teenagers in Squads |
| Russia 2018 | 32 | 736 | 7 |
| Qatar 2022 | 32 | 832 | 19 (under 20) |
| USA/Canada/Mexico 2026 | 48 | 1,248 | 22 |
The jump from 7 teenagers in 2018 to 22 in 2026 is sharp. Part of that reflects the expanded format, more squads means more roster spots. But it also reflects a shift in how national team coaches think about young players. In 2018, no player younger than 19 made any of the 32 squads. In 2026, only one player is under 18, but the depth of 18 and 19-year-olds is the widest the tournament has seen in years.
Can Any Young Player Break Pelé’s Record in 2026?
Only Gilberto Mora can.
Pelé scored at the 1958 World Cup at 17 years and 239 days old. Mora is 17 years and 240 days old at the tournament’s start, one day older. If he scores before his 18th birthday on October 14, in a game timed correctly in the knockout rounds, the record is mathematically within reach. No other player in this tournament is young enough to challenge it.
FAQs
Who is the youngest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Gilberto Mora of Mexico, born October 14, 2008. He is 17 years and 240 days old at the tournament’s start and the only player under 18 across all 48 squads.
How many teenagers are at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
22 teenagers across all 48 squads, per official FIFA data published June 2, 2026. This compares to 7 at the 2018 World Cup and 19 players under 20 at the 2022 edition.
Is Lamine Yamal the youngest player at the World Cup 2026?
No. Yamal was 18 years and 333 days old at the start of the tournament, the 13th youngest player, not the youngest. Nine players are younger than him in the official rankings.
Which country has the most teenagers at the 2026 World Cup?
Senegal and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with two teenagers each.
What records could Gilberto Mora break at this World Cup?
If he scores, Mora could come within one day of Pelé’s 1958 record for the youngest goalscorer in World Cup history (17 years, 239 days). The exact timing would depend on which match and when during the knockout stage it occurs.
Conclusion
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has 22 teenagers across its 48 squads, more than any recent edition of the tournament. At the top of that list sits Gilberto Mora, the only 17-year-old in the field, representing Mexico on home soil under coach Javier Aguirre. Around him, players like Lamine Yamal, Kendry Páez, Yan Diomande, and Endrick represent a generation that has already earned senior club football at the highest level before turning 20.
The record books are open. The youngest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have the stage. Whether any of them leave a permanent mark on it is the question the next few weeks will answer.
