Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold today announced the 23 players that have been selected to represent Australia in the nation’s first qualification match on the road to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

Arnold's squad, which features a host of players that have made positive and impressive starts to their club campaigns at home or abroad, will play Kuwait on Tuesday, 10 September 2019 (local time) after spending a week acclimatising in the Middle East at a training camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

ULTIMATE GUIDE: Road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE: Three players in Caltex Socceroos Squad

Arnold’s first selection on the journey to Qatar 2022 features a blend of international experience, and will offer further deserved opportunities to numerous players at relatively early stages of their respective senior international careers.

“I have spent the past month in Europe with one of my Assistants, Rene Meulensteen, watching and speaking with our players and their coaches and we have been delighted with what we have seen and heard,” Arnold said.



“The players that have been selected in this squad are fit and ready to go, while many, such as Brandon Borrello at Freiburg, Ajdin Hrustic at Groningen, Milos Degenek at Red Star Belgrade, Adam Taggart at Suwon Bluewings, Jackson Irvine at Hull City, and Harry Souttar at Fleetwood Town, have made very positive contributions with their clubs.

“Our June camp and friendly in Busan was a really important time for us. While many of the senior players that had participated in three major tournaments since 2017 were left out to give them a chance to refresh mentally and physically, many young and emerging players were given the chance to enter or re-enter the set-up, which has helped us to develop our depth,” he said.

HOW TO WATCH: Kuwait v Caltex Socceroos

TICKETS: Secure your spot to see Australia’s finest young footballers in action

Arnold’s squad for September’s FIFA window features 12 players with ten or fewer caps, highlighting the rejuvenation that is continuing within the Socceroos’ set-up.

“I find it exciting for the Socceroos and the nation that there were so many more players in contention for this squad, and am expecting healthy competition for places in the starting side for Kuwait and our upcoming qualification matches as we target a winning start on our journey to Qatar,” Arnold concluded.

Following Australia’s qualification opener against Kuwait, the Caltex Socceroos will play Nepal in Canberra on October 10, Chinese Taipei in Kaohsiung on October 15, and Jordan in Jordan on November 14.

Tickets for Australia’s home match against Nepal at Canberra’s GIO Stadium are on sale now (visit www.socceroos.com.au for details).

Caltex Socceroos 23-Player Squad | 2-10 September 2019 | FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ & AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ – Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2

Name Club, Country A-International Caps (Goals) Mustafa AMINI AGF Aarhus, Denmark 6 (0) Aziz BEHICH Istanbul Başakşehir, Turkey 36 (2) Brandon BORRELLO SC Freiburg, Germany 1 (0) Milos DEGENEK Red Star Belgrade, Serbia 26 (1) Apostolos GIANNOU AEK Larnaca, Cyprus 10 (2) Craig GOODWIN Al-Wehda, Saudi Arabia 4 (0) Rhyan GRANT Sydney FC, Australia 8 (0) Ajdin HRUSTIC FC Groningen, Netherlands 1 (0) Jackson IRVINE Hull City, England 30 (3) James JEGGO Austria Wien, Austria 2 (0) Mitchell LANGERAK (Gk) Nagoya Grampus, Japan 8 (0) Mathew LECKIE Hertha BSC, Germany 61 (9) Massimo LUONGO Sheffield Wednesday, England 43 (6) Awer MABIL FC Midtylland, Denmark 10 (4) Jamie MACLAREN Melbourne City FC, Australia 13 (1) Mark MILLIGAN Southend United, England 79 (6) Aaron MOOY Brighton & Hove Albion, England 39 (5) Andrew REDMAYNE (Gk) Sydney FC, Australia 1 (0) Mathew RYAN (Gk) Brighton & Hove Albion, England 55 (0) Trent SAINSBURY Maccabi Haifa, Israel 46 (3) Brad SMITH Seattle Sounders FC, United States of America 20 (0) Harry SOUTTAR Fleetwood Town, England 0 (0) Adam TAGGART Suwon Bluewings, Korea Republic 8 (3)

Watch Kuwait v Australia from 1:30am AEST on Wednesday 11 September live on FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports, and via the My Football Live App, Live, Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers.

Click here to download the My Football Live App now.

Upcoming Matches – Caltex Socceroos – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ – Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2

Kuwait v Australia

Date: Tuesday, 10 September 2019

Venue: Kuwait Club Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait

Kick-off: 6.30pm (local); 1.30am + 1 (AEST)



Australia v Nepal

Date: Thursday, 10 October 2019

Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra

Kick-off: 7.30pm (AEDT)

Tickets: Tickets on sale via www.socceroos.com.au

Broadcast: Live in Australia on FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports, and via the My Football Live App, Live, Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers



Chinese Taipei v Australia

Date: Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Venue: National Stadium, Kaohsiung

Kick-off: 7.40pm (local); 10.40pm (AEDT)



Jordan v Australia

Date: Thursday, 14 November 2019

Venue: TBC, Jordan

Kick-off: TBC

PLAYER FEATURES:

The monumental hurdle that built Borrello for Bundesliga

The step up that readied Amini to take Caltex Socceroos chance

Irvine’s 'trademark' that could bolster Caltex Socceroos arsenal

'Goose bumps': Hrustic's Caltex Socceroos dream a decade in the making

How City's Guardiola blueprint is set to benefit Maclaren

Never missed a minute: Grant's plan to build on remarkable feat