The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia begins on June 14 and ends on July 15, with 32 squads from around the globe taking part in football's most prestigious tournament.

Of the 32 teams taking part, 20 of those will be making back-to-back appearances, including reigning champions Germany, while less recognised national sides such as Iceland and Panama are making their first appearances.

Similarly, fans of the beautiful game will see star household names such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo represent their respective countries, but will also have the privilege of discovering new faces as coaches look to break in a new generation of younger players.
Speculation over which players 'should be on the plane' is already rife amongst those eager to see their favourite players turn out for their nations – but spaces in national squads are limited.
So, how many players will make the cut and when will we find out exactly who is going to Russia? Goal has the answers.

When will the World Cup squads be announced?

FIFA released an official media statement on February 8 confirming that provisional squad lists – which have increased in size from 30 to 35 players – are required to be submitted by May 14, with their final 23-man squad list to be finalised on June 4 at the latest.

"The Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions was presented with the latest developments in the preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, including an overview of the event’s 12 stadiums, the upcoming Team Workshop in Sochi (27-28 February) and the FIFA Congress (13 June).

"As a result of feedback from the coaches who attended the Team Seminar held around the Final Draw, the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions has agreed to increase the number of players included in the release list from no more than 30 to up to 35. In addition, a release list may only be published by the FIFA general secretariat with the explicit permission of the respective participating member association.

These amendments to article 44, paragraphs 1 and 3, of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Regulations are still subject to approval by the FIFA Council at its next meeting, scheduled to be held in Bogota, Colombia, on 16 March.

"As confirmed by the FIFA Council in January 2017, the deadline for the participating member associations to submit their release lists is 14 May 2018, while the submission of the final list of 23 players is due on 4 June 2018."

Which teams have qualified for the World Cup?

The full list of 32 teams qualified for Russia 2018 is as follows:

Group E Group F Group G Group H
Brazil Germany Belgium Poland
Switzerland Sweden Panama Senegal
Costa Rica Mexico Tunisia Colombia
Serbia South Korea England Japan

What big teams & players will miss out?

Arsenal Manchester United fans will not have the pleasure of seeing Alexis Sanchez take part as Chile fell at the final hurdle, although their absence at the tournament influenced Argentina's inclusion, meaning fans won't have to miss out on seeing Lionel Messi turn out for the Albiceleste. Similarly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has retired from international football and will not represent Sweden in Russia.

Italy are probably the most notable absentees, with the four-time World Cup winners having crashed out to Sweden in the play-offs, ending Gianluigi Buffon's hopes of picking up a second title.

Gareth Bale's Wales also crashed out in the play-offs, while the Netherlands, who finished third in 2014, miss out too after a dismal qualifying campaign.

The United States men's national team didn't make the cut either, meaning they'll miss their first World Cup since 1986.