World Cup 2026 lineups
Official starting lineups for World Cup matches are confirmed roughly 75 minutes before kickoff, when team sheets are submitted to FIFA. This page tracks every confirmed XI of the 2026 tournament - formations, benches, and captains - with the same data available in real time through the lineups API.
Updated Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:53:52 UTC
Upcoming lineup announcements
Expected confirmation time is about 75 minutes before each kickoff. Open a match for venue details, head-to-head, and the lineup once it is official.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Friday, June 12, 2026
Saturday, June 13, 2026
How World Cup lineups are confirmed
Each team submits its official team sheet to the FIFA match commissioner and referee about 75 minutes before kickoff. From that moment the starting XI is locked: a listed starter can only be replaced before kickoff for verified injury, and the replacement must come from the bench.
In 2026, squads are 26 players, matchday benches hold 15, and teams can make 5 substitutions in normal time (a 6th in extra time) across 3 substitution windows plus half-time.
What the lineups feed includes
- ·Confirmed starting XI with positions and shirt numbers
- ·Formation (4-3-3, 3-5-2, etc.) for both teams
- ·Full bench and captain designation
- ·Late pre-kickoff changes within seconds
- ·In-match substitutions with minute stamps
- ·Player heatmaps and per-player stats during play
/football/matches/{id}/lineups
Pull confirmed lineups as JSON the moment they are official. Pair with the live match stats and timeline endpoints for substitutions, events, and per-player data during play.
// Confirmed lineups for a World Cup 2026 match
const response = await fetch(
'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/matches/{MATCH_ID}/lineups',
{ headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();
// data.home.formation -> "4-3-3"
// data.home.starting_xi -> [{ player_id, name, position, shirt_number }]
// data.home.substitutes -> bench players
// data.home.captain_id -> captain referenceRelated World Cup data
Squads
All 48 official 26-man squads and player pools.
Matches today
Today's schedule with kickoff times in your timezone.
Fixtures
All 104 World Cup fixtures with dates and venues.
Results
Final scores and match events.
Top scorers
Live Golden Boot leaderboard.
Player stats API guide
How to pull per-player World Cup stats.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are World Cup 2026 lineups announced?
Official starting lineups for FIFA World Cup matches are released approximately 75 minutes before kickoff, when team sheets are submitted to the referee and FIFA. Confirmed XIs, formations, benches, and captains appear here and in the lineups API at that moment.
What is the most reliable source for real-time World Cup lineups?
TheStatsAPI publishes confirmed lineups for every 2026 World Cup match in real time, sourced from licensed commercial feeds and reconciled against official FIFA team sheets. Developers can pull the same data as JSON from the lineups endpoint.
Do lineups include formations and substitutes?
Yes. Each lineup includes the formation (for example 4-3-3), the 11 starters with positions and shirt numbers, all bench players, the captain, and in-match substitutions as they happen.
Can I get World Cup lineups via API?
Yes. GET /football/matches/{match_id}/lineups returns confirmed lineups as JSON the moment they are official, roughly 75 minutes before kickoff. In-match substitutions and live player stats update during play.
Are predicted lineups available before the official announcement?
This page tracks confirmed, official lineups rather than media predictions. Squad lists for all 48 teams are available on the squads page so you can review the player pool for any upcoming match.
How fast do lineup changes and substitutions update?
Late changes (for example an injury in the warm-up) and in-match substitutions are reflected in the feed within seconds of being official.
Get real-time World Cup lineups via API
Confirmed XIs, substitutions, live stats, and xG for every match. 7-day free trial.