ADELAIDE — New Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has unveiled his 26-player extended squad for the upcoming third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, featuring a notable comeback by midfielder Massimo Luongo and several fresh faces from the A-League. Australia will face China and Japan on October 10 and 15, respectively, marking Popovic’s debut as head coach.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Popovic, who succeeded Graham Arnold following his resignation last month, called up nine players not selected for September’s games. Arnold’s tenure ended after setbacks against Bahrain and Indonesia, which led to his departure as the longest-serving Socceroos coach. The new selections include Luongo, who returns from a brief international retirement. Luongo, a standout during the 2015 AFC Asian Cup and a current member of Ipswich Town, had paused his international career in late 2023 to focus on club commitments. His return is seen as a boost for the team as they aim to progress through the qualifiers.
The squad features three of Popovic’s charges from Melbourne Victory—Daniel Arzani, Nishan Velupillay, and Jason Geria. European-based players Ajdin Hrustic, Jordy Bos, Gianni Stensness, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, and Riley McGree are also making their return to the national setup. “This October window offers a great opportunity to showcase a vast improvement, both in our desire and in the quality of our play,” Popovic stated, highlighting the importance of the upcoming matches in South Australia and Japan.
Australia is currently positioned fifth in Group C. The team needs to finish among the top two for automatic qualification or secure one of the next two spots for a chance in the fourth round of qualifiers, aiming for a sixth straight appearance in the FIFA World Cup.
