All 48 teams that will compete in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, have now named their 26-man squads for this summer’s tournament. Naturally, the first thing fans looked for in each announcement was the star names included — and, just as importantly, those who missed out.

For neutrals, however, judging a team’s chances solely by the name on the back of the shirt can be something of a fool’s errand. Indeed, Spain, France and Argentina are among the favourites for their talented squads, while England will be hoping to finally end a 60-year international trophy drought under Thomas Tuchel.

That said, experience and tournament know-how can often be another overlooked-yet-useful yardstick for success. There is a caveat, though: younger squads can play with a freedom and fearlessness that sometimes catches more seasoned opponents off guard. With that in mind, and thanks to Rotowire, every World Cup squad has been ranked from oldest to youngest, and the results are interesting.

48-41

“Brazilian” and “wonderkid” often go hand in hand in football, with Europe’s biggest clubs regularly vying for the nation’s brightest young talents during the summer transfer window. But in his first major tournament as an international manager, Carlo Ancelotti has largely opted for experience over youth, overlooking many products of Brazil’s world-renowned academies. Endrick and Rayan are among the few exceptions in a squad that averages 28.65 years of age.

That places Brazil 41st on this list, narrowly ahead of both Egypt – who will hope Mohamed Salah can turn back the clock – and Scotland, who will harbour ambitions of a historic tournament led by the experience and leadership of Andrew Robertson and John McGinn. The Tartan Army also have the oldest player heading stateside, with backup goalkeeper Craig Gordon being 43.

Elsewhere, Colombia also feature in this bracket with an average age of 29.58. However, Panama take the unwanted crown as the oldest squad at the tournament, boasting an average age of 30. More strikingly, they do not have a single player under the age of 23 in their squad – a potential warning light on the dashboard for future tournaments.

40-31

If Argentina are to retain the title Lionel Messi masterminded in 2022, they will have to do so with a squad averaging 28.62 years of age. That places them 40th in the rankings, behind Paraguay (28.54), World Cup debutants DR Congo (28.50), and South American rivals Uruguay (28.19).

Austria sit 36th and, given their reputation as perennial dark horses on the international stage, it would be no surprise to see the likes of Marcel Sabitzer and David Alaba help Ralf Rangnick’s side punch above their weight once again. Jordan and Uzbekistan – both preparing for their first World Cup appearances – are next on the list, while Saudi Arabia’s squad strikes a balance between youth and experience, with just four players over 30 and three under 23, resulting in an average age of 27.96.

Croatia’s finest years may now be behind them, with the end of their golden generation appearing ever closer in the rear-view mirror. Even so, they can still call upon the playmaking wizardry of captain Luka Modric, whose experience and quality could keep the engine room running smoothly this summer.

30-21

At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to appear at his sixth World Cup. If he scores at any point during the tournament, he will become the first player to find the net in six different World Cups. It’s little surprise that his presence inflates Portugal’s average age somewhat, especially given that the world’s fifth-ranked nation also boasts five players under the age of 23.

Portugal are the joint 27th-oldest team heading to the United States this summer, with the Nations League winners level with Germany and Curacao on an average age of 27.54. They are also marginally younger than New Zealand, the lowest-ranked side in the tournament. Other notable nations in this bracket include the Netherlands, Turkey and Japan, with the latter two boasting four players over 30 and three younger than 23.

20-11

Belgium, much like Croatia, are continuing their transition away from a golden generation that many feel should have had more silverware to show for its talents. While established stars such as Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku remain central figures in a squad entering its autumn years, a new wave of talent is emerging to carry the torch. Zeno Debast, Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere are among the young stars helping to ensure the cupboard is far from bare.

Haiti and Sweden are the final two squads with an average age above 27, while Australia (26.88) and Iraq (26.65) sit just below that mark. As a result, they fall into the sweet spot between youth and experience – blending wise heads with fearless legs. Senegal fit that mould too, possessing a squad capable of marrying energy with tournament know-how, hoping they can keep their cool to avoid the controversies that led to the stripping of their AFCON title.

Ranked 14th, England’s well-balanced squad appears to have all the ingredients needed to bring football home. The absences of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are obvious talking points, but with Harry Kane in the form of his life and surrounded by prime-age talent such as Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka, Thomas Tuchel may have little reason to dwell on the what-ifs. On paper, the Three Lions have both the firepower and the balance to go deep into the tournament, and they are only marginally older than France’s super team and the host nation, the United States.

10-1

Ghana (26.42) have seven players under the age of 23, putting them joint-top among squads with the highest concentration of youngsters, alongside South Africa (26.35), Morocco (25.92), and Ecuador (25.58). The latter of that quartet boast the second-youngest squad in the tournament, with Kendry Paez already regarded as one of the brightest young talents in world football.

The youngest squad, however, belongs to Ivory Coast, with an average age of just 25.35, and only three players over the age of 30 selected. Great expectations are likely to rest on their shoulders – particularly Yan Diomande, who finds himself as the only teenager in the squad while also at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

Another key talking point from the top 10 is that Euro 2024 winners and current favourites for the tournament, Spain, boast the sixth-youngest squad. That, however, should be no burden for La Roja, whose youthful core – including Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Gavi – are already riding the wave of success from just two summers ago.