Valencia CF left with only Eray Cömert at World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

According to Superdeporte, Valencia CF will have only one player at the 2026 World Cup, Switzerland defender Eray Cömert, exposing the club’s thin international footprint.

His inclusion ensures the club will benefit from FIFA’s club benefits programme, which pays teams for releasing players to national squads. The 2026 edition will feature 48 countries for the first time.

For 2026, the pot for clubs rises to 355 million euros, around a 70% increase on Qatar 2022. Payments per player are set at roughly 4,100 to 4,300 euros a day. A further 100 million euros is earmarked for those who supplied players in qualifying.

There is a wrinkle for Valencia, as Cömert’s contract expires on 30 June and he has yet to renew. Under FIFA rules, clubs are compensated proportionally for each day a player remains on international duty.

Beyond the finances, such limited representation contrasts with earlier eras when Valencia regularly fed leading national teams. It underlines a wider competitive slide, compounded by recent seasons without European football.

Switzerland’s progress, and Cömert’s stay in the tournament, will directly affect the sum Valencia receive.

Source: Superdeporte