Premier League clubs ranked by how screwed they are by the World Cup | OneFootball

The World Cup is only two months off which means we are only three months away from Premier League managers moaning about how it’s screwed them…

More than 200 players from Our League will be on parade for 37 different nations in the United States, which gives many managers an excuse when their team makes a slow start to the 2026/27 season.

Here we’ve ranked the Premier League clubs based on how much the World Cup affects them in terms of call-ups. There is some subjectivity involved as only players we would class as first-teamers this season are included, with loanees playing elsewhere omitted.

1) Manchester City – 20

Marc Guehi, Phil Foden, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones, James Trafford (England), Ruben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva (Portugal), Nathan Ake, Tijani Reijnders (Netherlands), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria), Jeremy Doku (Belgium), Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic (Croatia), Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Cherki (France), Antoine Semenyo (Ghana), Erling Haaland (Norway), Rodri (Spain), Abdukodir Khusanov (Uzbekistan)

A couple of the England players are sweating on their places but City’s main concern right now is around whether any of this will be Pep’s problem?

2) Arsenal – 19

Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Ben White (England), Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, David Raya, Cristhian Mosquera (Spain), Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel (Brazil), Martin Odegaard, Christian Norgaard (Norway), Kai Havertz (Germany), Piero Hincapie (Colombia), Leandro Trossard (Belgium), Viktor Gyokeres (Sweden), William Saliba (France), Jurrien Timber (Netherlands).

Insert your own snide remark about Arsenal and international withdrawals here. After all, Mikel Arteta might have the Community Shield to prepare for.

3) Crystal Palace – 15

Dean Henderson, Adam Wharton (England), Maxence Lacroix, Jean-Philippe Mateta (France), Walter Benitez (Argentina), Daniel Munoz, Jefferson Lerma (Colombia), Borna Sosa (Croatia), Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast), Daichi Kamada (Japan), Chadi Riad (Morocco), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Norway), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Yeremy Pino (Spain), Chris Richards (USA).

Only Manchester City and PSG had more players off on international duty during the current break so next season’s Palace boss faces a heavily-disrupted first pre-season in charge. Guessand is included here because although he is on loan, the forward is almost certainly set to trigger Palace’s obligation to buy.

4) Chelsea – 14

Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina), Reece James, Cole Palmer (England), Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo (Portugal), Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, Estevao (Brazil), Moises Caicedo (Ecuador), Malo Gusto (France), Jorrel Hato (Netherlands), Mamadou Sarr (Senegal), Marc Cucurella (Spain).

Some of these Blues will be looking at the World Cup as a shop window, and a few aren’t afraid to say it. It all looks a bit broken, doesn’t it?

5) Tottenham Hotspur – 14

Dominic Solanke, Djed Spence (England), Xavi Simons, Micky van de Ven (Netherlands), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Kevin Danso (Austria), Richarlison (Brazil), Antonin Kinsky (Czech Republic), Mohammed Kudus (Ghana), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal), Pedro Porro (Spain), Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden), Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay).

Aside from the players listed, literally no one else at Spurs is thinking about the World Cup. Or much else beyond Sunderland next week. Kulusevski hasn’t played in almost a year but he isn’t giving up being there with Sweden.

6) Liverpool – 13

Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Hugo Ekitike, Ibrahima Konate (France), Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina), Alisson (Brazil), Mo Salah (Egypt), Florian Wirtz (Germany), Wataru Endo (Japan), Andy Robertson (Scotland), Alexander Isak (Sweden)

We say 13 players but Salah won’t be Liverpool’s concern when he’s done with the World Cup. Isak’s return gives him enough opportunities to prove his fitness to go with Sweden. We still find it weird that Liverpool won’t have a single England representative.

7) Manchester United – 13

Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo (England), Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes (Portugal), Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), Senne Lammens (Belgium), Casemiro, Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Amad (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands), Altay Bayindir (Turkey), Manuel Ugarte (Uruguay).

The United lads will probably go to the World Cup none the wiser as to which manager the will be returning to. Aside from Casemiro who might just stay in the United States.

8) Wolves – 12

Rodrigo Gomes, Toti Gomes, Mateus Mane, Jose Sa (Portugal), Andre, Joao Gomes (Brazil), Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea), David Moller Wolfe (Norway), Santiago Bueno (Uruguay), Yerson Mosquera (Colombia), Ladislav Krejci (Czech Republic), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Haiti).

That’s a lot of international quality for a team that spent much of the season fearing they might be the worst ever in the Premier League. Your shop window awaits, lads…

9) Newcastle United – 11

Harvey Barnes, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento, Aaron Ramsdale (England), Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton (Brazil), Malick Thiaw, Nick Woltemade (Germany), Yoane Wissa (Congo), Anthony Elanga (Sweden).

Italy’s latest balls up at least gives Sandro Tonali’s agent a full summer to pimp him out around half-interested clubs. Might that put Bruno Guimaraes on the backfoot in the race for the Newcastle exit?

10) Sunderland – 11

Wilson Isidor (Haiti), Jocelin Ta Bi (Ivory Coast), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Brian Brobbey, Lutsharel Geertruida, Robin Roefs (Netherlands), Omar Alderete (Paraguay), Habib Diarra (Senegal), Melker Ellborg (Sweden), Granit Xhaka (Switzerland), Noah Sadiki (Congo).

Granit Xhaka could have 150 caps by the time he returns to Wearside from the World Cup.

11) Aston Villa – 10

Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins (England), Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans (Belgium), Lucas Digne (France), John McGinn (Scotland), Victor Lindelof (Sweden).

Two of Villa’s three England representatives are definitely going. Watkins’ absence from the recent squad might have done him a favour.

12) Bournemouth – 10

Marcos Senesi, Julio Soler (Argentina), Ben Gannon-Doak, Ryan Christie (Scotland), Rayan (Brazil), Alex Scott (England), Amine Adli (Morocco), Justin Kluivert (Netherlands), Enes Unal (Turkey), Tyler Adams (USA).

Scott needs all his powers of optimism to be thinking about going to the World Cup rather than which beach he might watch it from. His time will come. It feels like a massive summer for Tyler Adams.

13) Brighton – 8

Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul van Hecke (Netherlands), Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium), Pascal Gross (Germany), Kaoru Mitoma (Japan), Diego Gomez (Paraguay), Yasin Ayari (Sweden), Ferdi Kadioglu (Turkey).

But still no Danny Welbeck, FFS.

14) Nottingham Forest – 8

Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White (England), Willy Boly, Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast), Chris Wood (New Zealand), Dan Ndoye (Switzerland), Matz Sells (Belgium), John Victor (Brazil).

Forest will be hoping Anderson adds another £10-20million on the price they will demand of City and United. Though being relegated before the midfielder flies off with England would significantly weaken their negotiating position.

15) Fulham – 7

Sander Berge, Oscar Bobb (Norway), Timothy Castagne (Belgium), Raul Jimenez (Mexico), Issa Diop (Morocco), Tom Cairney (Scotland), Antonee Robinson (USA).

It should have been the Harry Wilson World Cup.

16) Leeds – 6

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (England), Anton Stach (Germany), Ao Tanaka (Japan), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Sweden), Noah Okafor (Switzerland), Brenden Aaronson (USA)

Calvert-Lewin needs a big finish to the season if he is to carry Harry Kane’s bags, which can only be good for Leeds.

17) West Ham United – 6

Tomas Soucek (Czech Republic), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Congo), Jarrod Bowen (England), Alphonse Areola (France), Mateus Fernandes (Portugal), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal).

Will West Ham win the World Cup again for England? We reckon Bowen should be good for one of the last seats on the plane.

18) Everton – 5

Jordan Pickford, James Garner (England), Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Nathan Patterson (Scotland)

Pickford will definitely be going with England, but we reckon Garner misses the cut. Which ought to make for a serene pre-season for David Moyes compared to many other managers.

19) Brentford – 5

Igor Thiago (Brazil), Jordan Henderson (England), Kevin Schade (Germany), Kristoffer Ajer (Norway), Aaron Hickey (Scotland)

It’s still nice to remind ourselves occasionally that Brazil’s World Cup striker plays for little ol’ Brentford. What a club.

20) Burnley – 5

Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Quilindschy Hartman (Netherlands), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Hjalmar Ekdal (Sweden), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)

Tuanzebe scored the goal to get DR Congo to the finals, but Hartman and Ekdal’s hopes of going with Netherlands and Sweden respectively look slim so whoever is managing Burnley in pre-season ought to have a clear run up to the Championship campaign.