With just a few weeks remaining until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, head coach Tony Popovic and the Australian staff have selected eight players to attend a training camp in Sarasota, Florida. Most are based domestically, with the exceptions of Harry Souttar and Hayden Matthews, both of whom have already concluded their seasons with their respective EFL Championship clubs.
The selected players are: Harry Souttar (Leicester City), Hayden Matthews (Portsmouth), Anthony Caceres (Macarthur FC), Mitchell Duke (Macarthur FC), Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney), Nick D'Agostino (Brisbane Roar), Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory), and Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City).
For Popovic, the camp offers an opportunity to evaluate players who could earn a place in the final squad. "We will use the pre-camp as an opportunity to observe and assess a number of players, with our first arrivals due this week," he said.
As the 2025-2026 season concludes, additional players will join the camp in the United States. Popovic is expected to announce the final squad on June 1st.
"The aim is to have as many players as possible available and in contention before finalizing our World Cup squad," Popovic explained. "We are required to make that decision by June 1, and that remains the most important day from a selection perspective."
Following the Sarasota camp, Australia will face Mexico in a friendly on May 30th at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The team will then play one final tune-up against Switzerland on June 6th at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego before opening their World Cup campaign against Turkey on June 13th at BC Place in Vancouver.