BRISBANE, Australia – In a late, high-stakes roster shake-up just weeks out from the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by North America, Australian men’s national team head coach Tony Popovic has named 22-year-old attacking midfielder Cristian Volpato to his final 26-man squad, just days after the player officially formalized his national team switch from Italy to the Socceroos.
The announcement, made Monday, marks a stunning full-circle moment for Volpato, who turned down an invitation to join Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad four years ago, only to reset his international future with the nation of his birth. Born in Sydney, Volpato came up through Italy’s youth development system and earned caps for Italy’s Under-21 national side, but remained eligible to switch allegiances under FIFA regulations, as he never appeared in a competitive senior international match for the Azzurri. That eligibility shift became all the more relevant after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, opening the door for Volpato to pursue his World Cup dream with Australia.
Volpato is one of 17 first-time World Cup squad members on Australia’s roster, joining young striker Tete Yengi and a host of other emerging talents. The squad also features iconic veteran leadership: captain Mat Ryan, who brings 104 senior international caps to the pitch, and experienced attacker Mathew Leckie, both selected for their fourth World Cup appearance. The milestone ties the pair for the all-time Australian record, previously held only by retired stars Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan. Popovic highlighted the outsized role the veteran duo will play for a largely young roster, noting that “they can lead the way and guide these young players.”
Fresh off his eligibility approval, Volpato only joined the Socceroos’ pre-tournament training camp in Los Angeles over the weekend, missing the team’s 1-0 warm-up defeat to Mexico in Pasadena last week. Even with his late arrival, Popovic made clear he has high hopes for the young midfielder, who currently competes in Italy’s top-flight Serie A. “He’s a very talented player. A young player — he’s doing well in Serie A,” Popovic told reporters following the squad announcement. “Technically a very good player, great left foot, comfortable under pressure. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
While many observers have framed Australia’s heavily youth-focused selection as a build toward future tournaments down the line, Popovic pushed back on that framing, saying the current group is already competitive enough to compete at the highest level. “It would be easy to say Australia’s selection appeared to be one that looked toward the future but I think we should keep the expectation high now,” he said. “What we have is a lot of young exuberance, a lot of exciting talent. Will they be better in four and eight years? Without a doubt, but that’s not to say they’re not good enough now. I want them all to give me a (selection) headache every week, and I believe in these young boys.”
Australia continues its pre-tournament preparation with a final warm-up match against Switzerland in San Diego this coming Saturday. Once the World Cup kicks off, the Socceroos will face off against Turkey in Vancouver on June 13, the host United States in Seattle on June 19, and Paraguay in Santa Clara on June 25 in Group D play.
The full 26-man Australia World Cup squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Patrick Beach, Paul Izzo
Defenders: Aziz Behich, Jordan Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Jason Geria, Lucas Herrington, Jacob Italiano, Harry Souttar, Kai Trewin
Midfielders: Cameron Devlin, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Mathew Leckie, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O’Neill
Forwards: Ajdin Hrustic, Nestory Irankunda, Awer Mabil, Mohamed Toure, Nishan Velupillay, Cristian Volpato, Tete Yengi