Slovakia World Cup 2026 squad: Francesco Calzona's latest selection ahead of World Cup qualifying play-offs

The prospective Slovakia World Cup 2026 squad are hoping to make it to just their second tournament as an independent nation as they head into the March qualification play-offs.

In the play-offs for the World Cup 2026, Kosovo await in the semi-finals, with the winning side going on to face either Turkey or Romania with a place at this summer's tournament on the line.

Slovakia made a wonderful start to qualification with a shock 2-0 victory over Germany, but fell short of automatic qualification thanks to a 6-0 defeat in the reverse fixture when a win would have put them through.

The 2010 World Cup marked Slovakia's only outing since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, and they enjoyed a hugely memorable moment by claiming the scalp of then-reigning champions Italy with a 3-2 win in the final group stage game.

That put Slovakia through to the round of 16, where they fell to the Netherlands.

Slovakia have been regulars at the Euros in the interim, reaching the round of 16 in 2016 and 2024 and going out in the group stage of Euro 2020.

Successfully navigating the play-offs would earn Slovakia meetings with Australia, Paraguay and co-hosts the United States in Group D this summer.

Slovakia World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection

Slovakia World Cup 2026 squad: The latest squad

• GK: Martin Dúbravka (Burnley)
• GK: Marek Rodák (Al-Ettifaq)
• GK: Dominik Takáč (Slovan Bratislava)
• DF: Norbert Gyömbér (Al-Kholood)
• DF: Dávid Hancko (Atlético Madrid)
• DF: Ivan Mesík (Heracles Almelo)
• DF: Adam Obert (Cagliari)
• DF: Peter Pekarík (Hertha BSC)
• DF: Ľubomír Šatka (Samsunspor)
• DF: Milan Škriniar (Fenerbahçe)
• DF: Martin Valjent (Mallorca)
• DF: Denis Vavro (Wolfsburg)
• MF: László Bénes (Kayserispor)
• MF: Matúš Bero (Bochum)
• MF: Ondrej Duda (Al-Ettifaq)
• MF: Patrik Hrošovský (Viktoria Plzeň)
• MF: Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli)
• MF: Tomáš Rigo (Stoke City)
• MF: Mário Sauer (Toulouse)
• MF: Tomáš Suslov (Hellas Verona)
• FW: Dávid Ďuriš (Rosenborg)
• FW: Lukáš Haraslín (Sparta Prague)
• FW: Adrián Kaprálik (Holstein Kiel)
• FW: Samuel Mráz (Servette)
• FW: Leo Sauer (Feyenoord)
• FW: David Strelec (Middlesbrough)
• FW: Ľubomír Tupta (AE Larissa)

Slovakia fixtures and results

Fixtures

(*) if qualification successful

• March 26 2026: World Cup qualification play-off: Slovakia v Kosovo, Bratislava, Slovakia
• March 31 2026: World Cup qualification play-off or Friendly: Slovakia v Turkey or Romania, Bratislava, Slovakia
• September 26 2026: Nations League: Slovakia v Moldova, Bratislava, Slovakia
• September 29 2026: Nations League: Slovakia v Kazakhstan, Bratislava, Slovakia
• October 2 2026: Nations League: Faroe Islands v Slovakia, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
• October 6 2026: Nations League: Moldova v Slovakia, Chișinău, Moldova
• November 13 2026: Nations League: Slovakia v Faroe Islands, Bratislava, Slovakia
• November 16 2026: Nations League: Kazakhstan v Slovakia, Astana, Kazakhstan

Recent results

• September 4 2025: Slovakia 2–0 Germany, Bratislava, Slovakia
• September 7 2025: Luxembourg 0–1 Slovakia, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
• October 10 2025: Northern Ireland 2–0 Slovakia, Belfast, Northern Ireland
• October 13 2025: Slovakia 2–0 Luxembourg, Trnava, Slovakia
• November 14 2025: Slovakia 1–0 Northern Ireland, Košice, Slovakia
• November 17 2025: Germany 6–0 Slovakia, Leipzig, Germany

Slovakia manager: Francesco Calzona

A former right-hand man of Maurizio Sarri, Italian Calzona has a long coaching career behind him but only moved into management in his own right when he was appointed Slovakia manager in 2022.

Napoli came calling for Calzona on an interim basis for the latter half of the 2023/24 season, with the manager balancing both jobs over a four-month spell.

Slovakia have been generally impressive under Calzona, and were just moments away from eliminating England at Euro 2024 before Jude Bellingham's 95th minute equaliser forced a period of extra time that saw Harry Kane score the winner in the very first minute.

Slovakia's star player

Milan Skriniar

The former Inter and PSG centre-back has been the rock at the centre of the Slovakia defence since 2016.

Skriniar has earned 87 caps to date and plenty of plaudits for his reliable performances, including frustrating Kane and co for so long two years ago.

Now at Fenerbahce, the 31-year-old has worn the captain's armband since 2022 and barely misses a game for his country, whose successes have been built primarily on their overall excellent defensive record.

Best XI