Eight Australian Footballers Preparing to Attend World Cup Training in Florida This Week

Eight Australian Footballers Preparing to Attend World Cup Training in Florida This Week
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Harry Souttar of Leicester City and defender Hayden Matthews from Portsmouth in the Championship are included in the group travelling to the United States to compete for positions in Popovic's definitive team.

Once the session in Sarasota concludes, Popovic's squad will shift to Los Angeles for a preparatory match versus World Cup co-hosts Mexico at Pasadena's Rose Bowl near the close of the month.

Popovic plans to reveal his team selection on 1 June.

The Australian national team will launch their World Cup fixtures with a game against Turkey in Vancouver on 13 June, then face co-hosts the United States in Seattle six days on, followed by an encounter with Paraguay in California on 25 June.

"I eagerly anticipate our departure to the United States this week to kick off preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026, commencing with the initial training in Sarasota," stated Popovic, the ex-Crystal Palace defender.

"This preliminary phase will serve as a chance to evaluate and review several athletes, as the initial group arrives shortly. Much remains to unfold.

"With numerous domestic leagues still in progress, we persist in tracking a wide array of players during this vital phase for determining our ultimate roster. Our goal is to ensure the broadest possible pool of candidates is ready and vying for inclusion prior to confirming the World Cup lineup."