High-profile players to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup

As preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada continue, numerous prominent footballers have been ruled out of the tournament. The Italian national team failed to qualify for the event after being eliminated in the playoffs. Consequently, players such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali, and Alessandro Bastoni will not participate. Other notable absences due to qualification failure include Robert Lewandowski, Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jan Oblak, and Dusan Vlahovic. Additionally, several stars are sidelined due to injuries, including Brazilian players Rodrygo and Eder Militao, as well as Xavi Simons of the Netherlands and Matthijs de Ligt. While the text mentions Bosnia-Herzegovina as the team that eliminated Italy, the official qualification standings and tournament protocols are often subject to complex confederation structures. The list of missing players underscores the significant impact of both qualification outcomes and physical health on tournament rosters.