23% of 2026 World Cup players were born abroad, France tops the list

For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 23% of the squad members were born outside the country they represent – roughly one in four players. France leads with 99 foreign‑born players, 53 of whom were born in Paris. These French players hail from twelve different nations, including Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Algeria, Haiti, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Spain. The Netherlands follows, while England has the fewest foreign‑born participants at 50. Italy contributed only three players born abroad.

The statistic highlights the growing globalization of football, with many national teams featuring athletes whose birthplace differs from the nation they play for.