Germany at the 2026 World Cup: Nagelsmann names 26-man squad as Germany prepare to open against Curaçao on June 14 in Houston
Germany at the 2026 World Cup: Nagelsmann’s 26-man DFB squad, match dates, venues and TV coverage — opener vs Curaçao on June 14 in Houston. Full schedule.
The Germany at the 2026 World Cup campaign begins on June 14, when Julian Nagelsmann’s side face Curaçao in Houston with the tournament final scheduled for July 19 in East Rutherford. The DFB has confirmed a 26-player roster and a preparatory program that includes friendlies in Mainz and Chicago before the team settles into its base in Winston-Salem. This article outlines the squad, the match schedule, the chosen venues and where viewers in Germany can watch the games live.
Pre-tournament schedule and friendlies
The German preparations included a domestic training camp that opened on May 27 in Herzogenaurach to begin final team-building and tactical work. The side then played a scheduled international friendly against Finland in Mainz on May 31, kick-off 20:45 local time, as part of the match rhythm before departure.
On June 2 the squad flew to the United States to begin a second training camp in Chicago, where they faced the U.S. national team in a warm-up on June 6 at 20:30. The group then relocated to the official World Cup base in Winston-Salem, arriving there on June 8 to complete final training and logistical preparations ahead of the first group match.
Nagelsmann’s 26-man DFB squad for the tournament
Julian Nagelsmann named a 26-player delegation to represent Germany at the tournament, blending experienced internationals with emerging talents from the Bundesliga and abroad. The squad features three goalkeepers, a defensive contingent drawn largely from top European clubs, and a midfield-heavy selection that emphasizes versatility.
Manuel Neuer returns as the designated number one, joined in goal by Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim) and Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart). The back line includes established figures such as Joshua Kimmich and Antonio Rüdiger alongside younger options including Malick Thiaw and Nathaniel Brown. Several clubs are strongly represented; Bayern Munich supplies seven players while VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund provide four each.
The midfield list features Jamal Musiala, Leon Goretzka and Florian Wirtz, with players like Pascal Groß and Felix Nmecha adding international experience. Up front the coaching staff selected names such as Kai Havertz and Maximilian Beier, aiming to combine physical presence and technical variety in attack. The full roster reflects Nagelsmann’s preference for tactical flexibility and squad depth.
Group-stage fixtures and knockout pathway
Germany has been drawn into a group that pairs them with Curaçao, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador, a configuration the DFB describes as winnable but not without challenges. The opening match is set for Sunday, June 14 at 19:00 MESZ in Houston, followed by a June 20 fixture in Toronto against the Ivory Coast and a June 25 game in the New York area against Ecuador.
Progress through the group will determine the route to the knockout rounds and the location of the round-of-16 match. The final of the tournament is scheduled for July 19 at the East Rutherford stadium near New York, which is also the venue for Germany’s last group game. Austria and Italy were not factors in the draw; the immediate focus is securing top-two finish in the pool to avoid an early exit.
Stadiums and match locations for Germany’s group games
Germany’s opening match will take place at Houston’s NRG Stadium, which offers approximately 72,000 seats and has hosted major international fixtures and NFL contests. The second group fixture is scheduled for Toronto at a smaller venue used by Toronto FC, with capacity around 45,000 and the smallest stadium Germany will see in the group stage.
The final group match and the tournament final are set for the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with roughly 82,500 places and home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets. That stadium also staged high-profile club matches in recent seasons, underlining the scale of venues the DFB will encounter across North America.
DFB base in Winston-Salem and travel logistics
Germany’s team will be based at the Graylyn Estate Hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a setting chosen for its facilities and relative seclusion. The estate provides hotel and training amenities suited to a national side, but its position on the East Coast creates notable travel demands for the group stage.
Travel distances from Winston-Salem to the match venues are substantial: roughly 1,600 kilometers to Houston for the opener, about 800 kilometers to Toronto and approximately 700 kilometers to East Rutherford. Those transit lengths will require careful planning by the coaching and logistics teams to maintain player fitness and recovery between matches.
TV rights and how German viewers can watch
Public broadcasters ARD and ZDF hold free-to-air rights for Germany’s matches and will alternate coverage of the national team’s games in the group stage. Both networks will provide live broadcasts and streaming options, while the pay-TV provider MagentaTV will also carry the fixtures via its subscription service.
The specific schedule lists Germany versus Curaçao on Sunday, June 14 at 19:00 MESZ on ARD, the match against the Ivory Coast on Saturday, June 20 at 22:00 MESZ on ZDF, and the Ecuador fixture on Thursday, June 25 at 22:00 MESZ on ARD. Viewers can expect pre-match analysis and post-match coverage from all three broadcasters, including studio shows and expert panels.
With the squad announced and the travel plan set, the German national team will aim to convert preparation into results from the opening whistle in Houston. The coming weeks will test depth, adaptability and fitness as Nagelsmann’s side pursues a run toward the July 19 final in East Rutherford.
