Every professional footballer dreams of performing on the World Cup stage, and that absolutely includes the stars lighting up the English Premier League every weekend.

As the 2026 tournament draws closer, excitement is building rapidly; millions of fans are already checking World Cup 2026 winner odds to see which nations are favoured to lift football’s most prestigious trophy. England sit among the leading contenders according to the bookmakers, but when you look across the Premier League, the sheer number of international stars playing in England means the tournament could feel like one giant club reunion!

The Opening Day Sets the Tone

The first match of the tournament, Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City, immediately delivers a Premier League angle.

Fulham striker Raul Jimenez could come face-to-face with Burnley’s Lyle Foster in what promises to be a physical and emotionally charged contest. On the same day, South Korea’s Hwang Hee-chan will line up against his Wolverhampton Wanderers club-mate Ladislav Krejci. Two players who share a dressing room every week, split across two very different dugouts.

Group B: Old Names, New Stories

Canada, appearing at their third World Cup, feature AFC Bournemouth’s Daniel Jebbison in attack, while Bosnia & Herzegovina are fronted by Edin Dzeko, the former Manchester City striker who remains one of the most decorated players at this tournament. 

Switzerland, captained by Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka, face Qatar to open their group. For Xhaka.

Scotland Return and Brazil Arrive in Force

Scotland are back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and Liverpool’s Andy Robertson will lead them out in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on 13 June against Haiti. 

Aston Villa’s John McGinn adds experience to the squad, while Haiti’s Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor, who switched international allegiance from France, provides a fascinating subplot to that opening fixture.

Brazil, drawn in the same group, arrive with one of the heaviest Premier League contingents of any nation. Manchester United midfielder Casemiro captains the squad, and he could find himself squaring up against United team-mate Noussair Mazraoui when Brazil face Morocco at the MetLife Stadium. 

Group D: A Bournemouth Duel on the Horizon

The United States open their campaign against Paraguay in Los Angeles, in the first meeting between the two nations at a World Cup since the inaugural 1930 edition. 

Bournemouth captain Tyler Adams leads the co-hosts, and he could face club-mate Enes Unal when the USA meet Turkey later in the group. 

Germany, Arsenal, and a Group Full of Premier League Stories

Germany’s squad contains real Premier League quality. Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade are pushing for places, while Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz is expected to be central to their tournament. Arsenal’s Kai Havertz adds further depth to the German attack.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Amad is a regular starter for the Ivory Coast, who are also in this group, meaning the Arsenal and United connections criss-cross throughout. It is exactly the kind of subplot that makes the group stage so compelling.

The Netherlands, Liverpool, and a Captain’s Duel

The Dutch squad is packed with Liverpool players. Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Jeremie Frimpong, and Cody Gakpo could all feature for the Netherlands, and their group opener on 14 June is against Japan, captained by Liverpool’s own Wataru Endo. 

Elsewhere in that group, Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri represents Tunisia. Meanwhile, Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal could face his club-mate Mejbri when Sweden and Tunisia meet.

Belgium, Egypt, and Salah’s Last Dance?

Manchester City winger Jeremey Doku could face club-mate Omar Marmoush when Belgium play Egypt on 15 June.

Egypt are captained by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who at 34 will be competing at what many expect to be his final World Cup. 

Spain: One of the Most Premier League-Heavy Squads in the Tournament

Spain have drawn from clubs across the Premier League to build their squad. Arsenal provide David Raya, Cristhian Mosquera, and Martin Zubimendi. 

Manchester City contribute Rodri. Chelsea add Marc Cucurella. Tottenham’s Pedro Porro is also in contention, and he could face fellow Spurs player Rodrigo Bentancur when Spain meet Uruguay in their final group game on 26 June.

France, Arsenal, and the Match Everyone Will Want to Watch

France’s group opens against Senegal on 16 June, and Chelsea run right through the heart of it. Malo Gusto could come up against club-mates Mamadou Sarr and Nicolas Jackson, three players from the same London club, representing three different nations.

France’s third group fixture, against Norway on 26 June, has the potential to be genuinely spectacular. 

Arsenal’s William Saliba against Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard. Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki against Erling Haaland. Club allegiances will be entirely irrelevant for 90 minutes, and the rest of the football world will be watching.

Argentina: The Defending Champions Bring the Premier League With Them

Argentina carry enormous Premier League weight into this tournament. Alexis Mac Allister, Emiliano Martinez, Lisandro Martinez, and Cristian Romero all played key roles in the 2022 triumph in Qatar and are expected to feature again. 

Romero, who captains Tottenham, could face club-mate Kevin Danso of Austria in Argentina’s second group match on 22 June.

England: The Group That Has Manchester City Splitting in Half

England open against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, the same nation that knocked the Three Lions out at the semi-final stage in 2018. The Manchester City dimension here is extraordinary. 

Nico O’Reilly, Phil Foden, and John Stones could represent England, while Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic do the same for Croatia. Six players from a single Premier League club, split down the middle by national allegiance, meeting in a World Cup group game.

England’s second fixture against Ghana adds yet another City angle. Antoine Semenyo leads Ghana’s attack, and he will be going up against the very team-mates he trains alongside week in, week out.