{"id":1446100,"date":"2026-05-01T14:08:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T13:08:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&p=1446100"},"modified":"2026-06-02T12:25:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T11:25:33","slug":"efl-players-at-world-cup-2026","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/efl-players-at-world-cup-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The EFL at World Cup 2026: Which players from outside the Premier League could feature this summer?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The English Football League (EFL) continues to be a significant breeding ground for international talent, with numerous current and former players set to feature in the 2026 World Cup<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

30 EFL players were called up to their national squads for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but that figure could be eclipsed this summer, with 80 players in contention to feature in North America and Mexico. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada are the nation that could have the most EFL representatives, with 10 players in the frame to be called up to the squad, just ahead of Australia (9), Scotland (9) and New Zealand (8). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most represented EFL club at the World Cup could be either Middlesbrough or Watford, who both have six players that could be called up, while Derby County, Norwich City and Portsmouth all have five players on their books in line for an appearance at the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 10 players from League One<\/a> that could end up lining up for their countries this summer, with just four League Two<\/a> players who could be handed a call up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve compiled a list of all the players that could be set for a call up this summer. Will any players from your club play on the biggest stage this summer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Australia<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Joe Gauci<\/td>Port Vale<\/td>League One<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>8<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Lewis MIller<\/td>Blackburn Rovers<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>19<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Callum Elder<\/td>Derby County<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>3<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Hayden Matthews<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Riley McGree<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>35<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Nestory Irankunda<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>13<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr>
Mohamed Toure<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>8<\/td>2<\/td><\/tr>
Samuel Silvera<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>8<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Adrian Segecic<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Austria<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Nicolas Schmid<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Thierno Ballo<\/td>Millwall<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bosnia & Herzegovina<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Amir Had\u017eiahmetovi\u0107<\/td>Hull City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>34<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Canada<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Owen Goodman<\/td>Barnsley<\/td>League One<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Alfie Jones<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Jamie Knight-Lebel<\/td>Swindon Town<\/td>League Two<\/td>Defence<\/td>3<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Junior Hoilett<\/td>Swindon Town<\/td>League Two<\/td>Midfield<\/td>69<\/td>17<\/td><\/tr>
Liam Millar<\/td>Hull City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>39<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Ali Ahmed<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>24<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Cyle Larin<\/td>Southampton<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>88<\/td>30<\/td><\/tr>
Aribim Pepple<\/td>Plymouth Argyle<\/td>League One<\/td>Forward<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Daniel Jebbison<\/td>Preston<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>7<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Gabriele Biancheri<\/td>Rotherham United<\/td>League One<\/td>Forward<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cape Verde<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ricardo Santos<\/td>Swansea City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Sidnei Tavares<\/td>Blackburn Rovers<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Croatia<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ivor Pandur<\/td>Hull City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Curacao<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ar’jany Martha<\/td>Rotherham United<\/td>League One<\/td>Midfield<\/td>8<\/td>2<\/td><\/tr>
Tahith Chong<\/td>Sheffield United<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>4<\/td>2<\/td><\/tr>
Sontje Hansen<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>5<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DR Congo<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Jeremy Ngakia<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Edo Kayembe<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>41<\/td>2<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ghana<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ibrahim Osman<\/td>Birmingham City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>3<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Abdul Fatawu<\/td>Leicester City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>27<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
Jordan Ayew<\/td>Leicester City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>117<\/td>33<\/td><\/tr>
Brandon Thomas-Asante<\/td>Coventry City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>7<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iraq<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ali Al-Hamadi<\/td>Luton Town<\/td>League One<\/td>Forward<\/td>17<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ivory Coast<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
C\u00e9dric Kipr\u00e9<\/td>Ipswich Town<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Richard Kone<\/td>QPR<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Japan<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
K\u014dki Sait\u014d<\/td>QPR<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Ry\u014dya Morishita<\/td>Blackburn Rovers<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>3<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Y\u016b Hirakawa<\/td>Hull City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Y\u016bki \u014chashi<\/td>Blackburn Rovers<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jordan<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Tammer Bany<\/td>West Brom<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n

New Zealand<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Max Crocombe<\/td>Millwall<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>22<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Nik Tzanev<\/td>Huddersfield Town<\/td>League One<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Henry Gray<\/td>Harrogate Town<\/td>League Two<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Tyler Bindon<\/td>Sheffield United<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>23<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
Liberato Cacace<\/td>Wrexham<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>35<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Marko Stameni\u0107<\/td>Swansea City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>37<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
Matthew Garbett<\/td>Peterborough United<\/td>League One<\/td>Midfield<\/td>35<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr>
Ben Waine<\/td>Port Vale<\/td>League One<\/td>Forward<\/td>30<\/td>9<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Norway<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Egil Selvik<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>6<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Sondre Lang\u00e5s<\/td>Derby County<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Aune Heggeb\u00f8<\/td>West Brom<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Panama<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Jos\u00e9 C\u00f3rdoba<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>30<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paraguay<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Gustavo Caballero<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>2<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scotland<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Zander Clark<\/td>Doncaster Rovers<\/td>League One<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>4<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Cieran Slicker<\/td>Barnet<\/td>League Two<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Ross McCrorie<\/td>Bristol City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Dominic Hyam<\/td>Wrexham<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Max Johnston<\/td>Derby County<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>4<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Kenny McLean<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>56<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
Lyndon Dykes<\/td>Charlton<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>50<\/td>10<\/td><\/tr>
George Hirst<\/td>Ipswich Town<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>8<\/td>1<\/td><\/tr>
Tommy Conway<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>8<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Senegal<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Nampalys Mendy<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>34<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

South Africa<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Tylon Smith<\/td>QPR<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Luke Le Roux<\/td>Portsmouth<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>9<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

South Korea<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Paik Seung-ho<\/td>Birmingham City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>25<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
Bae Jun-ho<\/td>Stoke City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>12<\/td>2<\/td><\/tr>
Yang Min-hyeok<\/td>Coventry City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Jeon Jin-woo<\/td>Oxford United<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sweden<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Viktor Johansson<\/td>Stoke City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>12<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Jacob Widell Zetterstr\u00f6m<\/td>Derby County<\/td>Championship<\/td>Goalkeeper<\/td>2<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tunisia<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Anis Ben Slimane<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>39<\/td>4<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

United States<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Player<\/th>Club<\/th>League<\/th>Position<\/th>International Caps<\/th>International Goals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Caleb Wiley<\/td>Watford<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>3<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
George Campbell<\/td>West Brom<\/td>Championship<\/td>Defence<\/td>1<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Aidan Morris<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>Championship<\/td>Midfield<\/td>14<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Patrick Agyemang<\/td>Derby County<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>14<\/td>6<\/td><\/tr>
Haji Wright<\/td>Coventry City<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>20<\/td>7<\/td><\/tr>
Damion Downs<\/td>Southampton<\/td>Championship<\/td>Forward<\/td>6<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n