The CommBank Socceroos will take on Brazil in a two-game friendly series in Queensland this week.
It is the team's first action since the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and a chance for them to continue the form that saw them advance from the group stage of the global finals.
Game one of the series will be the first Men's A International held in Townsville.
The Squad
Head Coach Tony Popovic has a 25-player squad to call on for the two-match series against one the biggest clubs in football.
Five players have been called up for the first time - goalkeeper Jacob Chapman, Kealey Adamson, Eli Adams, Yaya Dukuly and Marcus Younis. Teenage defender Dylan Leonard returns after the pre-World Cup camp and is another potential debutant, as is the younger brother of Jordy, Kasey Bos.
Riley McGree and Patrick Yazbek return after time out due to injury and narrowly missing out on selection respectively.
Mohamed Toure and Alexander Robertson were selected in the initial 26-player squad, but have withdrawn due to injury. Nishan Velupillay was called up to replace them.
"We're obviously looking towards the Asian Cup - this is the first step - and then following that, the next qualifying campaign," Head Coach Tony Popovic said.
"If we can bring a few more players through, in a couple of years when the round three qualifiers come around, we'll have a really strong squad, competitive squad, and some more young talent on show for the Australian public.
"They're all in the same situation. They have the potential. They're not ready right now, but we want to put them in our environment, they can see what's expected, the standard that we expect, and hopefully when they go back to their clubs they can try and implement some of the things we've worked on."
Last Game
Australia last played Brazil back in a friendly at the MCG back in 2017. The game ended in a 4-0 defeat after the visitors scored within twelve seconds and the likes of Philippe Coutinho stunned the Socceroos.
Ajdin Hrustic and Dylan McGowan debuted in that game in front of nearly 50,000 fans.
Jackson Irvine, Aziz Behich and Milos Degenek are the current squad members who participated in that game nine years ago.
While the team is under no illusions of the task ahead of them against this iteration of Brazil, there is plenty of optimism that the exciting and youthful squad of 2026 is a chance of producing a far better outcome than last time.
The Opponent
Brazil are a team synonymous with football on the biggest stage and the five-time World Cup winners bring significant pedigree to the two-game series in Queensland.
Head Coach Carlo Ancelotti has named a youthful squad for the first window since the global finals. There are ten uncapped players in the 26-player squad, as well as nine players who are 21 years of age or younger.
Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos will lead the team out of the tunnel. The 32-year-old defender is a two-time Champions League winner and won gold with Brazil at Rio 2016. He is the most experienced player named, with 110 caps for the national side.
Eleven members of the squad ply their trade in Brazil while others represent some of the biggest clubs in world football with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, Barcelona's Raphinha and Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes some of Ancelotti's other headline stars.
"Playing Brazil, the five-time World Cup winners - it will be special to have them here in Townsville and in Brisbane with a packed house. We're really excited by the games. We want to play the best," Popovic said.
"They're such a fantastic side, and coached by a world class manager."
FIFA World Rankings
Australia: 28
Brazil: 5
Head-to-head
Played: 11
Wins: 1
Draws: 2
Losses: 8
Form Guide
Australia form guide: D-W-L-D-L
Brazil form guide: D-W-W-W-L
What They Said
Tony Popovic
Playing against Brazil, it doesn't get better than that. It's special for us, the Socceroos.
We want to keep evolving and getting better. We want to be challenging the very best, when you go to the World Cup and trying to get further and further in those competitions. you get that when you play the elite, the best in the world. That's the challenge we want. It's a good opportunity for us to test ourselves against the best.
Nestory Irankunda
It's something different. You're playing against one of the best national teams in the world and you're playing against the best players. So it will help us. It will help us and it's a good experience for the whole group. It will be a challenge, obviously. It will be a difficult two games, but we will try to give it our best.
I want the fans to come and support us and not just be there to see the Brazilian players but to see us as well because I feel like we've done all we could at the World Cup and I feel like we've done something great.
Lucas Herrington
I've got lots of family and friends coming to hopefully see me play against a great opposition as well. It doesn't get much better than Brazil international-wise. So, I think all the boys are up for it. I'm up for it. The coaching staff are ready. And I think Brisbane's ready, and all of Queensland for that Townsville game as well. So, no, I can't wait. I can't wait to hopefully pull on the jersey and just enjoy that moment.
Suncorp's obviously a very special stadium for me. My first season at the Roar, it was my debut stadium. So I can't wait to be back out there in Australian colours in front of hopefully a packed out crowd. It's a great stadium to see sold out. I can't wait.
