Eight players aged 40 or over are set to feature at the 2026 World Cup, which is a record for the tournament.

Quick Scoop

The number comes from FIFA’s roundup of the oldest players in the tournament, with names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Edin Dzeko, and Guillermo Ochoa among the over-40 group.

A few reports differ slightly, counting 7 in some previews and 8 in FIFA’s later tally, but the latest FIFA update says 8.

What’s notable

  • Five of the eight are goalkeepers, which helps explain how players can still be competing at that age.
  • The outfield players in that group are especially rare, since over-40 World Cup appearances by non-goalkeepers have historically been very uncommon.
  • This makes the 2026 tournament the first to reach that many 40-plus players in a single edition.

Bottom line

If you mean the 2026 FIFA World Cup , the answer is 8 players over 40.