South Africa joins Spain and Norway in a shared statistic at the 2026 World Cup

5 de junho de 2026 às 08:55

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The youthful Ivory Coast squad are the only side with an average age below 26, coming in at 25.9.

This includes 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande, who has the potential to be one of the most exciting players at the tournament and is the only teenager in their ranks.

Nine of their 26 players are aged 23 or younger, while the oldest is midfielder Jean Michaël Seri. Just four of the squad are over 30.

Ecuador rank second for youngest squads with an average age of 26.1, followed perhaps unexpectedly by Morocco (26.4) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (also 26.4).

South Africa are tied for sixth place with an average age of 26.8, matching Spain and Norway.

The youngest player at the World Cup is from co-hosts Mexico, whom Bafana Bafana face in the opening match in Mexico City on 11 June. He is midfielder Gilberto Mora, who will be 17 years and 240 days old when the tournament begins.

Mora will be the only player under 18, with the next youngest being Hugo Sochurek from another of Bafana's Group A opponents, the Czech Republic, who will be 18 years and four days old. The midfielder turns 18 on Sunday.

The record for the youngest player ever at a World Cup finals belongs to Northern Ireland's Norman Whiteside, who was 17 years and 41 days old when he faced Yugoslavia at the 1982 tournament in Spain, surpassing the previous record set by Pelé.

Iran and Panama are joint holders of the oldest squads in the World Cup, both with an average age of 30.4.

Iran's oldest player is 37-year-old centre back Shoja Khalilzadeh, and 16 of their 26 players are over 30. Left back Ehsan Hajsafi and right back Ramin Rezaeian are both 36.

Panama have also opted for experience, selecting 38-year-old winger Alberto Quintero, although he is far from being the oldest outfield player in the tournament. That distinction belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 years and 126 days old at kick-off.

However, Ronaldo is not the oldest player overall. That accolade goes to Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, aged 43 years and 162 days.

This is still well short of the all-time record, held by Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years and 161 days old when he played against Saudi Arabia in 2018.