Premier League Provides Almost A Third Of The World Cup's Remaining Players

Sixty-two of the 208 players left in the World Cup, almost a third, play their week-to-week football in the Premier League, new analysis from Gambling.com shows. 

That is more than La Liga and Serie A combined, and almost three times the total supplied by fourth-placed Serie A.

All but one of the 20 sides that contested the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, still have players involved. 

Relegated West Ham are the only team without representatives still in with a chance of winning the World Cup.

Premier League Financial Power

The numbers reflect football's growing financial divide: Premier League clubs' transfer spend and wage bills dwarf every other league, and that buying power now shows up directly in who is left playing for the World Cup. 

La Liga's 40 is carried by just two clubs, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who account for half of Spain's remaining players. 

Outside the top five leagues, representation falls away fast: the Saudi Pro League, Primeira Liga, Jupiler Pro League and Eliteserien are tied on five each, and eight leagues, from Brazil to the UAE, have just one player left. 

Between those extremes sits a wide tier of leagues supplying two players apiece, from MLS to the Scottish Premiership, showing that depth beyond the top five remains thin and regionally scattered.

* Our free to play Cosmo Spins game has got into the spirit of the World Cup with a 5k Cosmo Cash Machine prize. Spin the wheel every day to get your entries and try your luck on the prize wheel for 1k ,500 and 250 cash prizes now! 10 Free Spins every day for Gambling.com members. Terms and conditions and location restrictions apply.

Premier League Breakdown

Arsenal's 10 remaining players lead the way, with Manchester City next best on eight, followed by Aston Villa on seven. 

Of the sides that finished in the top six last season, Liverpool have the fewest players remaining with just Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister still there.

The Premier League's total of 62 is spread across seven different nationalities, among the players still standing at the quarter-final stage.

Major League Start Dates:

We'll find out on Sunday, July 19 which team has the most players represented in the World Cup final in New Jersey.

After that, the players involved will have a short turnaround before they return to their clubs ahead of the 2026/27 season.