<p><em>Lucas Herrington, Ante Suto, and Deni Juric get their shot at a World Cup berth as the Socceroos prepare for their last home matches before heading to North America.</em></p><p>Tony Popovic has handed three uncapped players their shot at a World Cup berth, naming a 26-man CommBank Socceroos squad for March fixtures against Cameroon and Curaçao - Australia's last home matches before heading to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.</p><p>Defender Lucas Herrington, striker Ante Suto, and forward Deni Juric are the fresh faces in a squad that carries genuine weight. Popovic has made clear both games serve as a final evaluation on home soil, with World Cup squad selection to follow shortly after.</p><h2>The New Faces Pushing Their Case</h2><p>Herrington, just 18 years old, has made a rapid rise from Brisbane Roar's academy to MLS side Colorado Rapids, where he scored and kept a clean sheet within his first two appearances for the club.</p><p>The central defender has reportedly attracted interest from <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league">Premier League</a> clubs including Everton and West Ham, according to A-Leagues. Suto is a striker with Scottish outfit Hibernian, while Juric - a forward at Polish side Wisla Plock - missed November's camp through injury and now gets a second chance to stake his claim.</p><p>Popovic was direct about what these fixtures represent. "These are our last matches before our World Cup pre-camp," he said, also describing the series as "our final chance to see players first-hand before our World Cup camp." Performances here carry real consequence.</p><p>Three veterans also earned recalls after extended absences. Aziz Behich, the Melbourne City fullback, returns for the first time since June 2025, while Nishan Velupillay - the Melbourne Victory winger - last played for the Socceroos in March 2025.</p><p>Awer Mabil, the CD Castellón winger, has not featured since September 2024. Also recalled are Jordan Bos, Alessandro Circati, Ajdin Hrustic, Jacob Italiano, Fran Karacic, Alexander Robertson, and Patrick Yazbek.</p><h2>Cameroon, Curaçao, and What Comes After</h2><p>Australia has already secured a spot at the 2026 World Cup, qualifying second from AFC Group C behind Japan - a campaign that included beating Japan for the first time in 16 years and going unbeaten in nine consecutive matches after an opening loss to Bahrain.</p><p>Popovic's attention has fully turned to final squad selection ahead of the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Those interested in <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/world-cup/mens-world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2026-outrights-7009197">World Cup betting odds</a> will be watching closely as the Socceroos finalise their preparations.</p><p>The Socceroos face Cameroon on Friday March 27 (8:10pm AEDT) at Accor Stadium in Sydney, then Curaçao on Tuesday March 31 (8:10pm AEDT) at AAMI Park in Melbourne, with both matches broadcast on Network 10 and Paramount+.</p><p>After the FIFA Series, the squad heads to a Florida training camp before a clash with Mexico on May 30.</p><p>Popovic's final World Cup squad decisions will follow shortly after that Mexico fixture, meaning every player in this 26-man group runs out knowing these two games may be their last audition before the biggest tournament in the sport. For a deeper look at <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/australia-world-cup-2026-draw-group-d-analysis">Australia's 2026 World Cup group</a>, the Socceroos face a challenging but navigable path in Group D.</p><h2>Keep Reading</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/fifa-world-cup-groups-ranked-easiest-hardest">Which World Cup groups should have teams worried (and which are a breeze)?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/world-cup-2026-debutants">The nations making their World Cup debut in 2026</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/premier-league-betting-guide">Everything you need to know before betting on the EPL</a></li></ul>