BERLIN (AP) — Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been coaxed out of retirement for the World Cup by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The 40-year-old Neuer retired after the 2024 European Championship but was included in Nagelsmann’s 26-man squad on Thursday for the upcoming tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
His inclusion means a demotion for Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who was assured he was the No. 1 until reports emerged in recent weeks that Nagelsmann was thinking about a Neuer recall. Up to last week, Baumann was saying his “current understanding” was that he’d be the starting goalkeeper at the World Cup.
“We told Oli in March that we had a meeting with Manu,” said Nagelsmann, who acknowledged Neuer's return was “a blow” for the 35-year-old Baumann.
Asked about his communication with the players, Nagelsmann replied, “I ask for understanding that I can't go into every detail from conversations. I try to explain a lot and take people with me. Some times I manage it less well, other times better. ... From Oli's point of view there's definitely some room for improvement.”
Baumann has shown over more than 500 Bundesliga appearances that he’s a team player, and he’s unlikely to let any personal disappointment have any impact on Germany’s chances of success.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was seen as Neuer’s natural successor but has been beset by injuries and made just two appearances for Girona after joining the club on loan in January.
Baumann has made 11 appearances for Germany, compared to 124 by Neuer, whose last game was in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals hosted by Germany, a 2-1 extra time loss to eventual champion Spain.
The clamor to include Neuer in the squad grew louder after he produced some outstanding performances for Bayern Munich, particularly against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals.
The only concern are recurring injuries. Neuer went off early during Bayern’s last Bundesliga game of the season and the club said on Sunday he “must take a break for the time being because of muscular problems in his left calf.” It was unsure if Neuer could play in the German Cup final against Stuttgart on Saturday.
In a bid to generate more excitement, the German soccer federation (DFB) began on Thursday morning announcing the World Cup squad one by one before Nagelsmann’s scheduled announcement that afternoon.
Midfielder Joshua Kimmich was the first to have his place confirmed, followed by Deniz Undav, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz and Bayern star Jamal Musiala.
Musiala made the squad after impressing for Bayern and proving his fitness after recovering from breaking his leg at the Club World Cup in July.
“He's healthy, he's fit and will help us a lot to play a good World Cup,” Neuer said of the 23-year-old Musiala.
Eintracht Frankfurt left back Nathaniel Brown will get a chance to add to his three appearances.
Bayern forward Serge Gnabry was ruled out of the tournament with injury, while young Bayern teammate Lennart Karl won his race to be fit in time.
Four-time champion Germany faces Ivory Coast, Ecuador and newcomer Curacao in Group E at the World Cup.
Preparations are due to start in the Bavarian resort of Herzogenaurach on May 27, two days later than initially planned.
The team will play warmups against Finland in Mainz on May 31, then the United States in Chicago on June 6.
“I think we're well prepared,” Nagelsmann said. “We need to let our actions do the talking. That is why I’m glad that things are finally about to get underway.”
Germany:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart)
Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), David Raum (Leipzig), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Pascal Groß (Brighton), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich),
Forwards: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Galatasaray)
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Germany's head coach Julian Nagelsmann, announces the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during a news conference at the German Football Association, DFB, headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Germany's head coach Julian Nagelsmann, announces the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during a news conference at the German Football Association, DFB, headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
PARIS (AP) — The French Open begins in Paris on Sunday. This guide tells you what you need to know about how to watch the second tennis Grand Slam of 2026 on TV, what the betting odds are, what the schedule is, who the reigning champions are and more:
Play begins Sunday at 11 a.m. local time (0900 GMT, 0500 EDT).
— In the U.S.: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max.
— Other countries are listed here.
Coco Gauff of the United States and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain.
Gauff won the trophy for the first time by defeating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4. Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat top-ranked Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) for his fifth major title in as many finals. It was Alcaraz’s second straight French Open title. Alcaraz injured his right wrist this season and has withdrawn from the French Open and Wimbledon.
Sabalenka is the women's, and Sinner is the men's. They are ranked No. 1 and the tournament seedings follow the WTA and ATP rankings.
Four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek is listed by bookmakers as the money-line favorite in the women's singles. She is at +225 ahead of Sabalenka (+275). In the men's draw, in the absence of the injured Alcaraz, Sinner is the overwhelming favorite at -300, ahead of Alexander Zverev at +750.
— Sunday through Tuesday: First Round (Women and Men)
— Wednesday-Thursday: Second Round (Women and Men)
— May 29-30: Third Round (Women and Men)
— May 31-June 1: Fourth Round (Women and Men)
— June 2-3: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)
— June 4: Women’s Semifinals
— June 5: Men’s Semifinals
— June 6: Women’s Final
— June 7: Men’s Final
— Jannik Sinner enters the French Open on a 29-match win streak, chasing a career Grand Slam
— Coco Gauff has a new mindset for title defense and more confidence on her serve
— Sinner opens French Open against wild card
— Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk raise trophies for war-torn Ukraine on the tennis court
— No. 1 Sabalenka calls for boycott if players don’t get bigger cut of Grand Slam revenues
— French Open players plan media protest over prize money share
— Carlos Alcaraz pulls out of Wimbledon because of wrist injury
— 45-year-old Venus Williams to play in French Open women’s doubles with Hailey Baptiste
— Three-star gastronomy is coming to Roland Garros. Organizers are launching The Jardin des Chefs, a new dining area showcasing the best of French cuisine. Some of France's top chefs and pastry chefs will take turns preparing their signature dishes, along with exclusive creations.
— Electronic devices that record players’ biometric data have been authorized on a trial basis for the first time. The initiative is designed to help players gain insights into their physical performance and recovery throughout the tournament, organizers said. Athletes will be allowed to use any device included on the “Player Analysis Technology” list approved by the International Tennis Federation. The trial will begin at Roland Garros and continue at the other Grand Slam tournaments this year.
Top players have expressed “their deep disappointment” at the French Open prize money. Open organizers announced an overall prize money increase by about 10% for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million). The total amount is up 5.3 million euros from last year. But the players said their share of Roland Garros revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026. The Australian Open this year increased the players’ pay by 16%, and the U.S. Open last year went up by 20%.
Both, as you can read about in this AP story from 2019. English speakers tend to use “French Open,” although the French Tennis Federation doesn’t call it that. The French — and much of the rest of the world — go with “Roland Garros,” which is the facility that hosts the tournament and is named after a World War I fighter pilot.
The French Open is played outdoors on red clay courts at Roland-Garros on the southwest outskirts of Paris. Women play best-of-three-set matches with a first-to-10 tiebreaker at 6-all in the third; men play best of five with a tiebreaker at 6-all in the fifth. There are separate day and night sessions most days. The event lasts 15 days. There is a retractable roof on the main stadium, Court Philippe-Chatrier.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
The men's, left, and women's trophies are displayed during the draw for the French Open tennis tournament, Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
French tennis federation President Gilles Moretton, from left, United States' Coco Gauff, Roland-Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo and IOC member Tony Estanguet pose next to the trophies during the draw of French Open tennis tournament, Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
A ballgirl stands during the draw for the French Open tennis tournament, Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, wears shoes in the Italian flag colors after defeating Casper Ruud, of Norway, 6/4, 6/4 in the final match to win the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
United States' Coco Gauff reacts as she plays against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, reacts after defeating Casper Ruud, of Norway, 6/4, 6/4 in the final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Sunday, May 17, 2026.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
