Who will be the headline acts of the 2030 World Cup? Between established superstars at the peak of their powers and young prodigies who have arrived on the big stage, here are the players to keep your eyes on at the centenary tournament. A predictive analysis, subject to form and injuries between now and 2030.
June 2026
In 2030, several of today's stars will still be at the heart of the action. Kylian Mbappé (31 in 2030) should lead a France side that remains as fearsome as ever. Erling Haaland, a goalscoring machine, will finally try to shine in the knockout stages with Norway if they qualify. Jude Bellingham (26), England's metronome, will be in his prime, as will Vinícius Júnior for Brazil.
Add to that Achraf Hakimi, captain of a Morocco side that will play partly on home soil, and you have a line-up of superstars rarely gathered at a single edition.
The big story of 2030 is the prodigies born in the 2000s who will have reached their prime. Lamine Yamal (22), already a European champion with Spain, could quite simply be the man of the tournament on home soil. Pedri, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Endrick will form the backbone of their respective national teams.
These players embody the generational shift: the 2030 World Cup will most likely be theirs. Discover the wonderkids set to emerge and our list of favourites for the title.
Beyond the headline names, certain profiles can swing a match: a Bukayo Saka on fire, a clinical Cole Palmer, a Désiré Doué who has broken through, or a tournament revelation still unknown today. That, too, is the magic of a World Cup: it creates stars in a matter of weeks.
At 31 in 2030, Kylian Mbappé should still be a mainstay of the France side, barring injury or a dip in form. He is one of the most eagerly awaited stars of the tournament.
Lamine Yamal, who will be just 22 and playing at home with European champions Spain, is one of the favourites to be the man of the tournament. See also our article on the wonderkids.
It is highly unlikely: both will be well past 40 in 2030 and will in all probability have retired from international football.
Official 2030 World Cup tickets will be released in phases on FIFA.com. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as the on-sale date and prices are announced, before the rush.