The head coach of the Azerbaijan national team, Fernandu Santosh, has called up 24 players for preparation ahead of qualification matches against Iceland and Ukraine in September. This information is reported by the official website of the Football Federation Association of Azerbaijan.

Squad for Azerbaijan National Team

Goalkeepers: Shakhruddin Magomedaliyev («Karabakh»), Rza Dzhafarov («Neftchi»), Aydin Bayramov («Zira»).

Defenders: Dzhalal Guseynov («Arda Kirklareli», Bulgaria), Anton Krivocuk («Tajon Han Citizens», South Korea), Elvin Dzhafarguliyev, Bahlu Moustafa-zadeh, Abbas Guseynov (all — «Karabakh»), Rahman Dashdamirov («Sabah»), Elvin Badalov («Neftchi»).

Midfielders: Ozan Kekchu («Volendam», Netherlands), Sabuhi Abdullazadeh («Sumgayit»), Anatoly Nuriev, Khayal Aliyev (both — «Sabah»), Emir Mahmudov («Neftchi»), Shahin Sharifyarov («Gabala»), Kismet Aliyev, Djeyhun Nuriev, Ismail Ibrahimli (all — «Zira»), Toral Bayramov, Nariman Akhundzade (both — «Karabakh»).

Forwards: Renat Dadashov («Motor Lublin», Poland), Mahir Emreli («Kaiserslautern», Germany), Musa Gurbanli («Karabakh»).

It is worth noting that the squad for Azerbaijan includes players who were trained in Ukrainian football, Anton Krivocuk (28 matches, 1 goal) and Anatoly Nuriev (13 matches, 1 goal).

Recall that the match between the national teams of Azerbaijan and Ukraine within the World Cup-2026 qualification will take place on September 9 in Baku at the Tofig Bahramov Stadium. The game against Iceland will be held by Azerbaijan on September 5 at the Leikirdalsvollur stadium in Reykjavik.

World Cup-2026 Qualification in UEFA Zone. First Round

Group A: Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg.

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.

Group C: Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus.

Group D: France,  Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.

Group E: Spain, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.

Group F: Portugal, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia.

Group G: Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.

Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.

Group I: Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.

Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.

Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.

Group L: Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.

Schedule of Group D Matches

Round 1. September 5, 2025

Ukraine — France 9:45 PM, Wroclaw

Iceland — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM, Reykjavik

Round 2. September 9, 2025

Azerbaijan — Ukraine 1:00 PM, Baku

France — Iceland 9:45 PM, Paris

Round 3. October 10, 2025

Iceland — Ukraine 9:45 PM, Reykjavik

France — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM, Paris

Round 4. October 13, 2025

Ukraine — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM

Iceland — France 9:45 PM, Reykjavik

Round 5. November 13, 2025

Azerbaijan — Iceland 2:00 PM, Baku

France — Ukraine 9:45 PM, Paris

Round 6. November 16, 2025

Ukraine — Iceland 2:00 PM

Azerbaijan — France 2:00 PM, Baku

Kiev time.

UEFA (Europe): 16 spots.

The European qualification will take place from March 2025 to March 2026 and consists of two rounds. Teams compete for 16 spots at the World Cup.

First round: Twelve groups with five or four teams each will play between March and November 2025 in a traditional group stage system. The twelve group winners receive direct tickets to the final stage.

The twelve second-placed teams, along with the top four third-place finishers from UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 who finished below second place in the European qualification group stage, will participate in knockout mini-tournaments.

Second round: Knockout mini-tournaments in March 2026 will consist of single-leg semi-finals and finals. The sixteen participants will be divided into four playoff paths. The four winners will receive tickets to the World Cup-2026.

AFC (Asia): 8 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.

CAF (Africa): 9 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.

CONCACAF (North and Central America): 3 tournament hosts + 3 spots + 2 places in intercontinental playoffs.

CONMEBOL (South America): 6 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.

OFC (Oceania): 1 spot + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.

Intercontinental Playoffs: 2 spots.

World Cup-2026. Final Tournament

The World Cup-2026 will be the first in history to feature 48 national teams in its final stage. There will be twelve groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group and eight best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16.

Matches for the 23rd World Cup will take place in sixteen cities. These are Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico, as well as Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle in the USA.

The opening match of the World Cup will take place on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, while the final will be held in New York on July 19.

World Cup-2026 Final Tournament Schedule