Germany’s 2026 World Cup preparations step up this month with friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann named two new faces in his latest squad: Bayern Munich’s 18-year-old attacking midfielder Lennart Karl and 22-year-old goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, both receiving their first senior call-ups. Nagelsmann has indicated the squad for these matches will be very similar to the one chosen for the summer tournament, giving the pair genuine hopes of making the World Cup roster.
Nagelsmann said the squad has a core group but that he wanted to see a few players who are not yet established internationals, mentioning Anton Stach and Josha Vagnoman as examples who have a chance to impress. Karl, who this week became the youngest German and youngest Bayern player to both score and assist in a Champions League match, has been pushing for a national team spot. “I expect him to bring his youthful carefree spirit onto the field. He likes to play centrally, but we’ve also planned to use him on the right. I won’t put any pressure on him to perform miracles, though. He should bring exactly what a young player embodies and play football freely from the heart,” Nagelsmann said.
Urbig has stepped in as Bayern’s number one following Manuel Neuer’s injury and has impressed with his composure. Though Oliver Baumann remains Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper, Urbig’s inclusion is partly a look to the future in a position Germany needs to refresh. Nagelsmann praised his “exceptional mental resilience,” noting he had been dominant and handled situations well when called upon.
Nagelsmann also pointed to Bayern’s strong season domestically and in Europe as a factor in selections from the club. Returnees to the squad include Kai Havertz, back after a lengthy injury lay-off, plus Pascal Groß, Anton Stach, Antonio Rüdiger, Deniz Undav and Josha Vagnoman. Jamal Musiala was omitted as he continues to rebuild fitness after injury. Cologne’s Said El Mala, who featured in last November’s qualifier squad, was left out and will play with the U21s. Angelo Stiller and Maximilian Mittelstädt also missed out, with Nagelsmann saying Stiller was a notch behind Aleksandar Pavlovic. “Some players are cut out for certain roles, and others simply aren’t. We have to decide whether a player fits the role we have in mind for him,” he added.
Germany will face Switzerland in Basel on March 27 and return to Stuttgart to play Ghana on March 30; both opponents have qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The last meetings were a 1-1 draw with Switzerland at Euro 2024 and a 2-2 draw with Ghana in the 2014 World Cup group stage.
This is the final international break before the World Cup. Germany will announce their 26-man squad in late May and play a friendly against Finland in Mainz before traveling to the United States. A final warm-up match against hosts the USA is scheduled for June 6, after which the team will move to their base camp in North Carolina. Germany’s 2026 World Cup campaign begins on June 14 against Curaçao in Houston.
Amid geopolitical tensions involving the US and Iran, the German FA has said it is unlikely to join any potential boycott or make political statements at the tournament. Nagelsmann acknowledged the wider context, saying, “War always affects people’s moods… If I had a button that would end all wars, I’d press it. But unfortunately, I don’t have one.” He added that he is focused on football: “I’ve never participated in a World Cup before, so I’m extremely excited about it. We will try to play a good tournament and, for those who are still skeptical, put on a good show and lift the spirits.”
Edited by: Matt Pearson