The diaspora World Cup
How many players line up for a nation other than the one they were born in. Birthplace is a noisy proxy for eligibility federation (foreign-born to national parents, naturalised players) — reported here as birthplace-based, not eligibility-based.
The France diaspora
74 players born in France represented
other nations at the 2026 World Cup — Algeria, Senegal, DR Congo, Haiti, Morocco and more — by far the largest
single-birthplace diaspora. France exports more World Cup footballers than most countries field.
2026 diaspora by birthplace — top 5 source countries
🇫🇷 Born in France → 74 players, other nations
🇩🇿
Aïssa Mandi, 🇩🇿
Riyad Mahrez, 🇩🇿
Nabil Bentaleb, 🇩🇿
Luca Zidane, 🇩🇿
Houssem Aouar, 🇩🇿
Amine Gouiri, 🇩🇿
Melvin Mastil, 🇩🇿
Rayan Aït-Nouri, 🇩🇿
Samir Chergui, 🇩🇿
Jaouen Hadjam, 🇩🇿
Farès Chaïbi, 🇩🇿
Farès Ghedjemis, 🇩🇿
Anis Hadj Moussa, 🇨🇻
Steven Moreira, 🇨🇻
Logan Costa, 🇨🇻
Willy Semedo, 🇨🇩
Gaël Kakuta, 🇨🇩
Cédric Bakambu, 🇨🇩
Lionel Mpasi, 🇨🇩
Arthur Masuaku, 🇨🇩
Dylan Batubinsika, 🇨🇩
Simon Banza, 🇨🇩
Samuel Moutoussamy, 🇨🇩
Yoane Wissa, 🇨🇩
Gédéon Kalulu, 🇨🇩
Nathanaël Mbuku, 🇨🇩
Steve Kapuadi, 🇪🇬
Haissem Hassan, 🇬🇭
Jordan Ayew, 🇬🇭
Elisha Owusu, 🇬🇭
Marvin Senaya, 🇭🇹
Johny Placide, 🇭🇹
Yassin Fortuné, 🇭🇹
Jean-Kévin Duverne, 🇭🇹
Duckens Nazon, 🇭🇹
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, 🇭🇹
Wilson Isidor, 🇭🇹
Ruben Providence, 🇭🇹
Martin Expérience, 🇭🇹
Lenny Joseph, 🇭🇹
Alexandre Pierre, 🇭🇹
Dominique Simon, 🇨🇮
Seko Fofana, 🇨🇮
Nicolas Pépé, 🇨🇮
Evan Ndicka, 🇨🇮
Yahia Fofana, 🇨🇮
Evann Guessand, 🇨🇮
Elye Wahi, 🇨🇮
Guéla Doué, 🇨🇮
Ange-Yoan Bonny, 🇲🇦
Issa Diop, 🇲🇦
Neil El Aynaoui, 🇲🇦
Redouane Halhal, 🇲🇦
Ayyoub Bouaddi, 🇲🇦
Samir El Mourabet, 🇲🇦
Gessime Yassine, 🇶🇦
Karim Boudiaf, 🇸🇳
Kalidou Koulibaly, 🇸🇳
Mory Diaw, 🇸🇳
Moussa Niakhaté, 🇸🇳
Édouard Mendy, 🇸🇳
Yehvann Diouf, 🇸🇳
Pape Gueye, 🇸🇳
Iliman Ndiaye, 🇸🇳
Antoine Mendy, 🇸🇳
Mamadou Sarr, 🇸🇳
Ibrahim Mbaye, 🇪🇸
Aymeric Laporte, 🇹🇳
Ellyes Skhiri, 🇹🇳
Yan Valery, 🇹🇳
Dylan Bronn, 🇹🇳
Montassar Talbi, 🇹🇳
Hannibal Mejbri, 🇹🇳
Ismaël Gharbi🇳🇱 Born in Netherlands → 42 players, other nations
🇩🇿
Ramiz Zerrouki, 🇨🇻
Garry Rodrigues, 🇨🇻
Laros Duarte, 🇨🇻
Jamiro Monteiro, 🇨🇻
Deroy Duarte, 🇨🇻
Sidny Lopes Cabral, 🇨🇻
Dailon Livramento, 🇨🇼
Eloy Room, 🇨🇼
Leandro Bacuna, 🇨🇼
Jürgen Locadia, 🇨🇼
Joshua Brenet, 🇨🇼
Riechedly Bazoer, 🇨🇼
Brandley Kuwas, 🇨🇼
Gervane Kastaneer, 🇨🇼
Sherel Floranus, 🇨🇼
Juriën Gaari, 🇨🇼
Armando Obispo, 🇨🇼
Juninho Bacuna, 🇨🇼
Kenji Gorré, 🇨🇼
Trevor Doornbusch, 🇨🇼
Godfried Roemeratoe, 🇨🇼
Roshon van Eijma, 🇨🇼
Shurandy Sambo, 🇨🇼
Kevin Felida, 🇨🇼
Sontje Hansen, 🇨🇼
Jearl Margaritha, 🇨🇼
Ar'jany Martha, 🇨🇼
Jeremy Antonisse, 🇨🇼
Livano Comenencia, 🇨🇼
Tyrick Bodak, 🇨🇼
Tyrese Noslin, 🇨🇼
Deveron Fonville, 🇬🇭
Derrick Luckassen, 🇲🇦
Sofyan Amrabat, 🇲🇦
Noussair Mazraoui, 🇲🇦
Anass Salah-Eddine, 🇳🇿
Nando Pijnaker, 🇹🇳
Omar Rekik, 🇹🇷
Ferdi Kadıoğlu, 🇹🇷
Orkun Kökçü, 🇹🇷
Oğuz Aydın, 🇺🇸
Sergiño Dest🇩🇪 Born in Germany → 25 players, other nations
🇩🇿
Ibrahim Maza, 🇧🇦
Sead Kolašinac, 🇧🇦
Dženis Burnić, 🇧🇦
Ermedin Demirović, 🇧🇦
Kerim Alajbegović, 🇭🇷
Mario Pašalić, 🇭🇷
Marin Pongračić, 🇭🇷
Marco Pašalić, 🇭🇷
Josip Stanišić, 🇭🇷
Igor Matanović, 🇪🇨
John Yeboah, 🇮🇷
Dennis Eckert, 🇮🇶
Merchas Doski, 🇮🇶
Youssef Amyn, 🇯🇴
Ali Azaizeh, 🇸🇳
Ismail Jakobs, 🇰🇷
Jens Castrop, 🇹🇳
Rani Khedira, 🇹🇳
Elias Saad, 🇹🇷
Kaan Ayhan, 🇹🇷
Hakan Çalhanoğlu, 🇹🇷
Salih Özcan, 🇹🇷
Can Uzun, 🇹🇷
Kenan Yıldız, 🇺🇸
Malik Tillman🏴 Born in England → 23 players, other nations
🇨🇦
Alfie Jones, 🇨🇦
Owen Goodman, 🇨🇦
Luc de Fougerolles, 🇨🇩
Aaron Tshibola, 🇨🇩
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 🇫🇷
Michael Olise, 🇬🇭
Jerome Opoku, 🇬🇭
Brandon Thomas-Asante, 🇬🇭
Antoine Semenyo, 🇮🇶
Zidane Iqbal, 🇳🇿
Tommy Smith, 🇳🇿
Joe Bell, 🇳🇴
Erling Haaland, 🇳🇴
Thelo Aasgaard, 🏴
Angus Gunn, 🏴
Scott McTominay, 🏴
Ché Adams, 🏴
George Hirst, 🏴
Tyler Fletcher, 🇨🇭
Marvin Keller, 🇺🇸
Antonee Robinson, 🇺🇸
Giovanni Reyna, 🇺🇸
Sebastian Berhalter🇪🇸 Born in Spain → 11 players, other nations
🇦🇷
Nico Paz, 🇪🇨
Jeremy Arévalo, 🇬🇭
Iñaki Williams, 🇲🇽
Álvaro Fidalgo, 🇲🇦
Munir Mohamedi, 🇲🇦
Brahim Díaz, 🇲🇦
Achraf Hakimi, 🇲🇦
Chadi Riad, 🇲🇦
Ismael Saibari, 🇲🇦
Ayoube Amaimouni, 🇺🇾
Rodrigo ZalazarMost foreign-born squads, all-time
Foreign-born share by tournament
| Year | Foreign-born | % |
|---|
| 2002 | 62/714 | 9% |
| 2006 | 59/716 | 8% |
| 2010 | 76/720 | 11% |
| 2014 | 79/730 | 11% |
| 2018 | 80/730 | 11% |
| 2022 | 137/828 | 17% |
| 2026 | 291/1226 | 24% |
Birthplace is a noisy proxy for eligibility federation (foreign-born to national parents, naturalised players) — reported here as birthplace-based, not eligibility-based.