Blood ties and opportunity: Why more World Cup players than ever are not representing their birth nations

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Blood ties and opportunity: Why more World Cup players than ever are not representing their birth nationsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Switzerland's Breel Embolo chose not to celebrate after scoring against his country of birth, Cameroon, in the 2022 World CupByFernando DuarteBBC World ServicePublished23 June 2026For 25 minutes on 13 June, Morocco made World Cup history during their 1-1 draw with Brazil - not one of their players on the pitch had been born in Morocco. The 2026 Fifa Men's World Cup has by far the highest proportion ever of players representing countries they were not born in - almost a quarter of all the participating players. Already the tournament has seen a player score against his birth nation, when France-born Ibrahim Mbaye netted for Senegal in their 3-1 defeat to Les Bleus on 16 June.

This follows the awkward moment in 2022, when Switzerland attacker Breel Embolo, born in Cameroon, became the first player in the tournament's more than 90-year history to score against his own birth nation. Instead of leaping in triumph and delight, he briefly lifted his hands in an almost apologetic gesture. "I knew that if I scored I wouldn't celebrate the goal, out of respect.

The Details

That didn't mean to say I wasn't happy about it, though," Embolo told reporters at the time. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Morocco set a record in the 2026 tournament by fielding 11 foreign-born players during their opening match against BrazilIn the 2026 World Cup, only eight out of 48 teams do not have a player born abroad, according to official squad lists submitted to world football's governing body Fifa. World Cup debutants Curacao feature only a single player born on the Caribbean island as part of their 26-man squad.

The country is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and most of its team are Netherlands-born. Meanwhile Qatar has brought players from 10 nationalities, from Africans to Europeans and a South American. A high-profile case is Michael Olise.

Born and bred in London, the Bayern Munich winger has chosen to represent France, his mother's birth country. Among foreign-born players representing 2026 co-hosts the United States is Antonee Robinson, who was born in Milton Keynes in England but qualified for the US team through his father. Such switches have created some family divisions, though.

Four sets of brothers are representing different teams: Desire and Guela Doue (France and Ivory Coast), Nico and Iñaki Williams (Spain and Ghana), Harry and John Souttar (Australia and Scotland) and half brothers Derrick Luckassen and Brian Brobbey (Ghana and Netherlands). Before 2026, this had happened only twice - when half brothers Jerome and Kevin Prince Boateng played in two World Cups (2010 and 2014) representing Germany and Ghana. They faced each other on the pitch on both occasions.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.