Thirteen players. Ten nations. Eight groups. This summer, Manchester United’s squad will be scattered across North America — not as teammates, but as opponents, rivals, and national heroes. The 2026 World Cup is the biggest stage in football, and United’s fingerprints are all over it.
[ man utd at 2026 wc — full player list ]
| Group | Country (10) | Utd Players (13) | Opponents in Group |
| C | Brazil (6th) | Casemiro, Matheus Cunha | Morocco(7th), Haiti(81th), Scotland(43th) |
| C | Morocco (7th) | Noussair Mazraoui | Brazil(6th), Haiti(81th), Scotland(43th) |
| C | Scotland (43th) | Tyler Fletcher | Brazil(6th), Morocco(7th), Haiti(81th) |
| D | Türkiye (22th) | Altay Bayındır | USA(16th), Paraguay(40th), Australia(27th) |
| E | Cote D’Ivoire (33th) | Amad Diallo | Germany(10th), Curaçao(83th), Ecuador(24th) |
| G | Belgium (9th) | Senne Lammens | Egypt(29th), Iran(20th), New Zealand(85th) |
| H | Uruguay (17th) | Manuel Ugarte | Spain(2nd), Cape Verde(68th), Saudi Arabia(61th) |
| J | Argentina (1st) | Lisandro Martínez | Algeria(28th), Austria(23th), Jordan(63th) |
| K | Portugal (5th) | Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot | DR Congo(45th), Uzbekistan(50th), Colombia(13th) |
| L | England (4th) | Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford | Croatia(11th), Ghana(73th), Panama(34th) |
[ country by country ]
brazil — Group c
Man Utd Players: Casemiro · Matheus Cunha
Fifa ranking
6th
Man utd players
casemiro (mf)
matheus cunha (fw)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sat 13 JUN | vs Morocco | 6pm | 11pm |
| Fri 19 JUN | vs Haiti | 9pm | 2am↑ |
| Wed 24 JUN | vs Scotland | 6pm | 11pm |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad selection tells a story in itself. With only five midfielders and nine forwards named, the blueprint is clear: a 4-2-4 base that flexes into a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 depending on the situation.
Casemiro, who has been in outstanding form this season — commanding defensively, composing play from deep, and delivering clutch headers when it mattered most — looks virtually certain to lock down one of the two midfield spots. At 34, he’s playing some of the best football of his career, and Ancelotti clearly trusts him.
Matheus Cunha is also likely to start. With Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha as the priority wide options, Cunha’s ability to operate centrally and function almost as a third midfielder makes him the natural pick through the middle. His tactical intelligence gives Ancelotti the flexibility he’s looking for.
Predicted XI
morocco — Group c
Man Utd Players: Noussair Mazraoui
Fifa ranking
7th
Man utd players
Noussair Mazraoui (df)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sat 13 JUN | vs Brazil | 6pm | 11pm |
| Fri 19 JUN | vs Scotland | 6pm | 11pm |
| Wed 24 JUN | vs Haiti | 6pm | 11pm |
can be a starter?
Morocco arrive with most of their core intact from the last World Cup and AFCON campaigns, and are expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1 — a system that has served them well in recent years.
With Achraf Hakimi firmly established as one of the best right-backs in the world, the right-back slot is his to keep. That means Mazraoui won’t be getting his preferred position — but his versatility is his greatest asset here. Expect him to be deployed at left-back, where he can contribute meaningfully without stepping on Hakimi’s territory.
Predicted XI
scotland — Group c
Man Utd Players: Tyler Fletcher
Fifa ranking
43th
Man utd players
tyler fletcher (mf)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sat 13 JUN | vs Haiti | 9pm | 2am↑ |
| Fri 19 JUN | vs Morocco | 6pm | 11pm |
| Wed 24 JUN | vs Brazil | 6pm | 11pm |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Fletcher earned his call-up as a late replacement for Billy Gilmour, who was ruled out through injury. Realistically, though, he sits fourth in the pecking order at defensive midfield behind Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, and Kenny McLean — which makes a starting berth highly unlikely.
With Brazil and Morocco in the group, Scotland’s two toughest fixtures offer little room for experimentation. His best shot at game time is the opener against Haiti: if Scotland build a comfortable lead early, Clarke may use the opportunity to rotate and manage minutes, and that’s when Fletcher could get his moment.
Predicted XI
Türkiye — Group d
Man Utd Players: Altay Bayındır
Fifa ranking
22th
Man utd players
Altay Bayındır (gk)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sat 13 JUN | vs Australia | 9pm | 2am↑ |
| Fri 19 JUN | vs Paraguay | 0am↑ | 5am↑ |
| Thu 25 JUN | vs USA | 10pm | 3am↑ |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Bayındır faces stiff competition from Uğurcan Çakır for the starting spot, and given his lack of playing time at United this season, the odds favour Çakır getting the nod. To make matters harder, Turkey’s first game is against Australia — arguably the most manageable fixture in the group — which means there’s little incentive for Montella to make changes in goal from the off.
If Turkey secure their place in the round of 32 with games to spare, that’s when Bayındır might finally get his chance on the world stage.
Predicted XI
Cote d’Ivoire — Group e
Man Utd Players: Amad Diallo
Fifa ranking
33th
Man utd players
amad diallo (fw)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sun 14 JUN | vs Ecuador | 7pm | 0am↑ |
| Sat 20 JUN | vs Germany | 4pm | 9pm |
| Thu 25 JUN | vs Curaçao | 4pm | 9pm |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Côte d’Ivoire tend to alternate between a 4-4-2 and a 4-3-3 depending on the opponent, and Amad looks set to be a key figure in either system as the first-choice right winger.
He’s already made a statement ahead of the tournament, scoring the winner against France in a pre-World Cup friendly — a result that sent a message to the rest of Group E. If he can carry that form into the group stage, Amad has every chance of being one of the breakout names of the tournament. He’s expected to start every game, and the hope is that the world gets to see just how far his game has come.
Predicted XI
belgium — Group g
Man Utd Players: Senne Lammens
Fifa ranking
9th
Man utd players
senne lammens (gk)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sun 15 JUN | vs Egypt | 3pm | 8pm |
| Sat 21 JUN | vs Iran | 3pm | 8pm |
| Fri 26 JUN | vs New Zealand | 11pm | 4am↑ |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
After a breakthrough season that saw him establish himself as United’s first-choice goalkeeper, Lammens has earned his place in the Belgium squad — a remarkable rise for a player of his age.
The starting spot, however, belongs to Thibaut Courtois for now. With Belgium in a favourable group, the realistic scenario is this: if they wrap up qualification from the first two games, the dead-rubber against New Zealand becomes the perfect opportunity for Lammens to make his World Cup debut. That’s the moment to watch for.
Predicted XI
uruguay — Group h
Man Utd Players: Manuel Ugarte
Fifa ranking
17th
Man utd players
manuel ugarte (mf)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Sun 15 JUN | vs Saudi Arabia | 6pm | 11pm |
| Sat 21 JUN | vs Cape Verde | 6pm | 11pm |
| Fri 26 JUN | vs Spain | 8pm | 1am↑ |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
It hasn’t been the easiest season for Ugarte at United, but he’s made the squad — and there’s still a real chance he features in the group stage.
Federico Valverde is the undisputed first choice in midfield, which leaves one spot up for grabs alongside him. Ugarte’s main competition comes from Rodrigo Bentancur, who has shown encouraging form since returning from injury at Spurs. On current evidence, Bentancur has the edge — but this is far from settled. Both players have had disrupted campaigns, and Bielsa will make his calls based on what he sees in training. Either way, Ugarte should get minutes somewhere in the group stage.
Predicted XI
argentina — Group j
Man Utd Players: Lisandro Martinez
Fifa ranking
1st
Man utd players
lisandro martinez (df)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Mon 16 JUN | vs Algeria | 9pm | 2am↑ |
| Sun 22 JUN | vs Austria | 1pm | 6pm |
| Sat 27 JUN | vs Jordan | 10pm | 3am↑ |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Defending champions Argentina are expected to largely replicate the starting XI that lifted the trophy in Qatar — the main change being the absence of Ángel Di María. At the back, Lisandro Martínez partners Cristian Romero in what looks like the first-choice centre-back pairing. Nicolás Otamendi provides experienced cover, but barring injury or poor form, Martínez should be a fixture in every game. He comes in as one of the surest starters of any Man Utd player at this tournament.
Predicted XI
portugal — Group k
Man Utd Players: Bruno Fernandes · Diogo Dalot
Fifa ranking
5th
Man utd players
Bruno Fernandes (mf)
Diogo dalot (df)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Tue 17 JUN | vs DR Congo | 1pm | 6pm |
| Mon 23 JUN | vs Uzbekistan | 1pm | 6pm |
| Sat 27 JUN | vs Colombia | 7:30pm | 12:30am↑ |
↑ = Next day
can be a starter?
Bruno Fernandes arrives off the back of one of his finest ever seasons, and he’s set to be central to everything Portugal do going forward. Alongside Vitinha and João Neves, he forms part of what is arguably the most complete midfield trio at the tournament — three world-class players, three distinct roles, all complementing each other. How far they can go together is one of the most compelling storylines of the whole competition.
Dalot’s situation is less straightforward. He’s in contention for the right-back slot, but competition is fierce — Joao Cancelo, Matheus Nunes, and Nélson Semedo are all in the mix, and Dalot isn’t the frontrunner. Given his versatility, there’s also a case for him being used as backup cover on the left behind Nuno Mendes. His role may end up being a squad one rather than a starting one.
Predicted XI
England — Group l
Man Utd Players: Kobbie Mainoo · Marcus Rashford
Fifa ranking
4th
Man utd players
kobbie mainoo (mf)
marcus rashford (fw)
Match Scheldules
| Date | Match | ET | BST |
| Tue 17 JUN | vs Croatia | 4pm | 9pm |
| Mon 23 JUN | vs Ghana | 4pm | 9pm |
| Sat 27 JUN | vs Panama | 5pm | 10pm |
can be a starter?
Mainoo has forced his way back into the England picture with a strong second half of the season — and the fact that he’s made the squad ahead of players like Adam Wharton shows just how much Tuchel rates him. Whether he starts is another question. Declan Rice is the anchor of England’s midfield, and the second spot is a genuine three-way battle between Mainoo, Elliot Anderson, and Jordan Henderson. There’s talent and tournament experience in that group — Mainoo will need to make his case in training and from the bench.
Rashford, meanwhile, is in competition for the left-wing berth with Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, and Eberechi Eze. Gordon looks the most likely starter on current form, while Rogers and Eze offer the added option of playing centrally. But in games where England need pace and directness on the counter, Rashford’s profile fits — and that could be his route to minutes in this group.
Predicted XI
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