Australia's head coach Tony Popovic has included seven uncapped players in a 26-man squad for two home friendlies against Brazil. The selection combines experienced players with new talent as the team builds towards the next Asian Cup.

The Socceroos will meet Brazil in Townsville on a Friday in late September and then in Brisbane the following Tuesday. Both games are set for an evening start and will be shown on Network 10 and Most important+. These fixtures are the team's final planned home games before the continental championship.

New faces and familiar returns

Sixteen members of the squad that progressed to the knockout stage at the previous FIFA World Cup have been kept. This group includes six individuals who have changed clubs since then: Patrick Beach, Paul Okon-Engstler, Jackson Irvine, Lucas Herrington, Nestory Irankunda and Alessandro Circati.

The players who could make their first international appearance are Eli Adams from Gamba Osaka, Kealey Adamson from QPR, Jacob Chapman from St Mirren, Yaya Dukuly from NK Celje and Marcus Younis from Brondby IF. Kasey Bos and Dylan Leonard, who have trained with the squad before, are also in contention for a debut.

Midfielders Riley McGree and Patrick Yazbek are back after injuries kept them out of the World Cup, and Alexander Robertson has also returned. The team's recent results include one victory, three ties and one defeat from their last five matches, a sequence that featured a drawn game with Egypt in July.

Building for the future

Popovic stated that the squad choices aim to build on World Cup progress while planning ahead. He said, "We are looking forward to coming together for the first time since the FIFA World Cup 2026." He added, "We have picked a squad with an eye on the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and an eye on the future, and it's a great opportunity for us to continue growing as a team."

Football Australia CEO Martin Kugeler expressed his enthusiasm for the team's homecoming. He said, "We are excited to have the CommBank Socceroos back on home soil for both matches against Brazil, in Townsville and Brisbane."

The opening game at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville will be followed by the meeting at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium four days later. Supporters can view the team's complete schedule and the squad roster on the relevant pages. This series offers a last opportunity to evaluate players before attention turns completely to getting ready for the Asian Cup.

Background and full detail: Football Australia