Australian playmaker Riley McGree has been ruled out of the World Cup in a blow to the Socceroos following a hamstring injury at English club Middlesbrough last weekend.
The injury to McGree, one of Australia’s most creative players, comes days before coach Tony Popovic confirms his 26-man squad for the June 11 to July 19 tournament in North America, where they play Turkey and co-host the United States and Paraguay.
With experienced Craig Goodwin not selected for a pre-World Cup training camp in Sarasota, Florida, McGree’s absence leaves Australia short on depth for attackers on the left flank.
Mitch Duke’s hopes of returning to the World Cup are effectively over, with the veteran striker part of a group of eight mostly fringe players removed from training camp.
Duke scored the goal in a 1-0 group stage win over Tunisia at Qatar 2022 to help Australia advance to the knockout stages.
With Scotland-based forward Ante Suto also released, Popovic has made an initial call-up for another striker in Tete Yengi, Kusini’s younger brother, who featured for Australia in World Cup qualifying but was ruled out of the tournament due to a thigh injury.
Yengi, like Kusini, is an attacker from Japan.
He was part of a group of eight called up, including defenders Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington, Kai Trewin and Kye Rowles, veteran winger Awer Mabil, goalkeeper Mat Ryan and midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler.
Three names will have to be dropped from the 29-man training squad, with Patrick Beach or Joe Gauci missing as third goalkeeper behind captain Ryan and Paul Izzo.
Australia will warm up for the World Cup with friendlies against Mexico in Pasadena on May 30 and Switzerland in San Diego on June 6 before meeting Turkey in their World Cup opener in Vancouver on June 13.
Published on May 26, 2026
