Subway Socceroos' Head Coach, Graham Arnold has named an extended 25-man squad for Australia’s upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™ Qualifiers against Lebanon.
The Subway Socceroos are set to face Lebanon at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on Thursday, 21 March before travelling to GIO Stadium, Canberra for a match on Tuesday, 26 March.
READ MORE: Ultimate Guide to Sydney ahead of Subway Socceroos v Lebanon
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The qualifier at GIO Stadium will be designated as a home game for Lebanon, who have opted to play in Australia due to the current circumstances in the Middle East, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) requesting this fixture be played in a neutral territory.
The March FIFA Men’s International Window sees the resumption of the Second Round of qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026™, following the recent AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ in which Australia made the Quarter Finals.
Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo) has been named in a Subway Socceroos’ squad for the first time since June 2023, following a successful move to the Eredivisie (Netherlands) during the January transfer window.
Adam Taggart (Perth Glory FC) also returns to the national team off the back of strong form in the Isuzu UTE A-League, also joined by Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney Wanderers FC) following his recovery from an ankle injury and Bruno Fornaroli (Melbourne Victory FC).
Kusini Yengi (Portsmouth FC) returns to Australia off the back of a brace against Burton in EFL League One on Tuesday evening, while Riley McGree (Middlesborough FC) was also in the goals this week in the EFL Championship ahead of his call up.
Patrick Yazbek (Viking FK) – originally named for the Subway Olyroos’ squad for a tournament in Saudi Arabia during the upcoming window – has been called up to the senior team as a result of several players being currently unavailable.
AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ squad members Aziz Behich (calf), Martin Boyle (concussion), Aiden O’Neill (suspension/ankle) and Marco Tilio (hamstring) have all been ruled out of the upcoming qualifiers against Lebanon.
Subway Socceroos’ Head Coach, Graham Arnold said his side's full focus was now on their journey to international football’s showpiece event being held in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
“As a group we took a lot away from our time in Qatar and I’ve got no doubt that we’ll be better for the experience as we work towards World Cup qualification,” Arnold said.
“We selected a number of younger, inexperienced players for the Asian Cup with the view of giving them more opportunities at international level as well as exposing them to tournament conditions.
“It’s part of our continued regeneration of the senior national team squad, ensuring that in two years' time we have the depth and experience required to succeed on international football’s biggest stage.”
Arnold added that while injury forced him into some changes, he had largely looked to reward those players who had been part of Australia’s AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ campaign.
“We’ve gone with a similar squad to the one we took to the Asian Cup, and they’ll be prepared to face a side in Lebanon that have a lot to play for,” added Arnold.
“It’ll be a great test for the group and one I know they’re very much looking forward to,” Arnold concluded.
To find out all the latest information on fixtures, results and Second Round Qualification updates please click here.
The Subway Socceroos FIFA World Cup 2026™ Qualifiers will be broadcast live thanks to Football Australia’s broadcast partner, 10 Paramount.
Match Details
Subway Socceroos v Lebanon
Thursday, 21 March 2024
CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEDT
Tickets: Start from $20 Child, $25 Concession, $30 Adult, $80 Family via Ticketek
Broadcast: 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+
Lebanon v Subway Socceroos
Tuesday, 26 March 2024
GIO Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
Tickets: Start from $15 Child, $20 Concession, $25 Adult, and $50 Family via Ticketek
Broadcast: 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+
Subway Socceroos Squad l March FIFA Men's International Window
| Name | Current Club, Country | ‘A’ Caps (Goals) | Junior Club (Member Federation/Country) |
| Nathaniel ATKINSON | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 12 (0) | Riverside Olympic FC / Football Tasmania |
| Keanu BACCUS | St Mirren FC, Scotland | 17 (0) | Parklea FC / Football New South Wales |
| Brandon BORRELLO | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 11 (2) | Modbury Jets SC / Football South Australia |
| Jordy BOS | K.V.C Westerlo, Belgium | 12 (0) | Hoppers Crossing SC / Football Victoria |
| Cameron BURGESS | Ipswich Town FC, England | 6 (0) | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Thomas DENG | Albirex Niigata, Japan | 3 (0) | Adelaide Blue Eagles / Football South Australia |
| Mitchell DUKE | FC Machida Zelvia, Japan | 37 (12) | Liverpool Rangers SC / Football New South Wales |
| Bruno FORNAROLI | Melbourne Victory FC, Australia | 7 (0) | Club Nacional de Football (Uruguay) |
| Joe GAUCI (Gk) | Aston Villa FC, England | 2 (0) | Cumberland United FC / Football South Australia |
| Thomas GLOVER (Gk) | Middlesbrough FC, England | 0 | Menai Hawks / Football New South Wales |
| Craig GOODWIN | Al Wehda FC, Saudi Arabia | 24 (4) | Munno Para City FC / Football South Australia |
| Ajdin HRUSTIC | Heracles Almelo, Netherlands | 24 (3) | Heatherton United SC / Football Victoria |
| John IREDALE | SV Wehen Wiesbaden, Germany | 0 | West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook / Football New South Wales |
| Jackson IRVINE | FC St Pauli, Germany | 66 (11) | Ringwood City SC / Football Victoria |
| Gethin JONES | Bolton Wanderers FC, England | 4 (0) | Wrexham FC (Youth), Wales |
| Riley MCGREE | Middlesbrough FC, England | 24 (1) | Gawler Eagles FC / Football South Australia |
| Connor METCALFE | FC St. Pauli, Germany | 19 (0) | South Cardiff FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Lewis MILLER | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 6 (0) | Pittwater RSL FC / Football New South Wales |
| Kye ROWLES | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 18 (0) | Palm Beach SC / Football Queensland |
| Mathew RYAN (Gk) (C) | AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands | 91 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Sam SILVERA | Middlesbrough FC, England | 5 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Harry SOUTTAR | Leicester City FC, England | 27 (11) | Brechin City Boys Club (Scotland) |
| Adam TAGGART | Perth Glory FC, Australia | 17 (6) | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Patrick YAZBEK | Viking FK, Norway | 0 | Austral Soccer Club / Football New South Wales |
| Kusini YENGI | Portsmouth FC, England | 4 (0) | Fulham United FC / Football South Australia |
