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2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11: Reveal Date, 26-Player Shortlist and Who Could Make the Final Eleven
By Sports Desk | Updated 5 November 2026 | 8 min read
The 2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11 is four days away. FIFPRO has published a 26-player shortlist, voted by fellow professionals, and the final team of the year is due on Monday, 9 November. Here is how it works, who is in the running, and what might decide it.
Original illustration for editorial use. Not an official FIFPRO image.
Key facts at a glance
Reveal date: Monday, 9 November 2026.
Where: FIFPRO's digital platforms, according to the announcement coverage we checked.
Voters: 19,806 professional men's footballers from 73 countries.
Period assessed: 4 August 2025 to 19 July 2026.
Shortlist: 26 players, each with at least 30 official matches in that period.
What is the FIFPRO Men's World 11?
FIFPRO is the worldwide representative body for professional footballers. Each year it asks players to pick the best XI of the season. There is no jury, no media panel and no fan vote. The people on the pitch choose the people on the pitch.
That is why many players treat it as a different kind of honour. A defender who has spent a season trying to stop a forward knows exactly how hard that forward is to stop, and the ballots reflect that.
How the voting works
Step one: the shortlist
Professional footballers first voted to produce a 26-name shortlist. Players had to have featured in at least 30 official matches between 4 August 2025 and 19 July 2026, a window that includes this summer's World Cup.
Step two: the final team
A second round of voting decides the lineup. The XI is made up of one goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, plus one extra outfield player: whoever collects the next-highest number of votes after those positions are filled. FIFPRO publishes the result across its digital channels.
Confirmed vs. unconfirmed
The date (9 November), voter numbers and eligibility rules above come from FIFPRO's announcement as reported by multiple outlets. One report mentions a ceremony with guests; others describe a digital reveal. We could not confirm a venue, so check fifpro.org on the day.
The 2026 shortlist: all 26 players
The list below follows the names published after FIFPRO's announcement. Clubs are as reported at the time of the shortlist.
Goalkeepers (3)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa), David Raya (Spain, Arsenal).
Defenders (8)
Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Spain, Chelsea), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool), Gabriel Magalhães (Brazil, Arsenal), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain), Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain), William Saliba (France, Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (France, Bayern Munich).
Midfielders (7)
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid), Bruno Fernandes (Portugal, Manchester United), Enzo Fernández (Argentina, Chelsea), Pedri (Spain, Barcelona), Declan Rice (England, Arsenal), Rodri (Spain, Manchester City), Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain).
Forwards (8)
Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Al Nassr), Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City), Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli), Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid), Michael Olise (France, Bayern Munich), Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona).
The big names in the conversation
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Their presence is the headline. According to World Soccer Talk, Messi holds the record with 17 selections to the World 11, with an unbroken run from 2007 to 2023. Ronaldo has 15, last chosen in 2021. Both have now returned to the shortlist, and reports note Ronaldo, at 41, is the oldest player ever nominated.
A shortlist place is not a team place. Both play outside Europe's top leagues now, and the voters have a deep pool of players from the Champions League and the major European leagues. It would be a surprise if both made the final XI, but nobody should rule out a sentimental vote.
Harry Kane
Kane is the established centre-forward on this list, now at Bayern Munich. Strikers who score consistently and contribute to build-up play tend to impress fellow professionals, so he looks like a serious candidate in a crowded attack.
Kylian Mbappé
At Real Madrid, Mbappé has been a fixture of these conversations for years. He is among the shortlisted forwards and, on reputation alone, one of the likelier names to be picked.
Lamine Yamal
Barcelona's Yamal is 19 and already shortlisted. If he makes the final team, it would be a statement that his peers see him as one of the best players in the world now, not a future prospect.
Contenders compared
The table mixes confirmed facts with our own reading of the vote. The final column is opinion, not a prediction from FIFPRO.
Legends vs. the new generation
The veterans
Messi and Ronaldo bring a reputation no one else on the list can match. Voters are professionals who grew up watching them, which can help. But the ballot is meant to reward the season just played.
The rising stars
Yamal, Cubarsí and Olise represent a younger wave. Their rise says something about how quickly elite football moves, and how willing peers are to rate talent over reputation.
Our guess is that the final XI will lean towards players from the European sides that dominated the season, with a possible nod to one or two legends. That is speculation until the result is released.
Why the World 11 matters
Trophies tell you who won. Peer awards tell you who the opposition feared. For players it is professional respect in its purest form, and for clubs and national teams it adds weight to contract talks and legacies. For fans, it is a rare chance to see the sport judged by those who play it.
Frequently asked questions
When will the 2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11 be announced?
FIFPRO says the team will be revealed on Monday, 9 November 2026.
Who votes for the FIFPRO World 11?
Professional footballers only. For the 2026 men's shortlist, 19,806 players from 73 countries took part.
How many players are on the 2026 shortlist?
There are 26: three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight forwards.
Are Messi and Ronaldo on the 2026 shortlist?
Yes. Both are shortlisted, along with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
What formation does the World 11 use?
One goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and one additional outfield player with the next-highest vote total.
Conclusion
With 26 names and ten places for outfield players plus a goalkeeper, someone good is going to miss out. Whether the final team leans on legends, on the new generation, or on the clubs that dominated the season will be clear on 9 November. We will update this article when FIFPRO publishes the result.
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