Which Aston Villa players will be going to the World Cup in 2026?
World Cup 2026 will take place in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico between 11th June 2026 and 19th July 2026.
It will be the first World Cup to be expanded to 48 teams, a sprawling global football behemoth that promises to carry a whiff of experimentation as well as the rotten stench of geopolitical baggage that seems to come with every World Cup these days.
The increase to 48 teams also opened the door to new or long-time absent qualifiers and lots of fresh faces in a colossus of a group stage in June 2026.
Aston Villa are blessed with brilliant footballers from all over the world. How many of their players could be involved at World Cup 2026, who are they, and how likely are they to actually play in North and Central America?
Ezri Konsa – 95%
England qualified automatically from their group, winning every game without conceding a goal. Konsa was a big part of the reason why and will be in the World Cup finals squad if fit and available without a doubt. I think there’s a good chance he starts the first game.
Morgan Rogers – 95%
It’s evident from the last three international match windows that England boss Thomas Tuchel rates Rogers as his back-up number 10 behind Jude Bellingham. It might even be a closer decision than we might have expected from Rogers’ early-season Premier League form. Tuchel is clearly a big fan.
Ollie Watkins – 50%
Watkins missed out on the last England squad of the World Cup qualifiers in November and there was little in his club form to suggest Tuchel was wrong to leave him out. He hasn’t been usurped as England’s second-choice number 9 yet, though, and his participation won’t be in doubt if he can get back among the goals.
John McGinn – 99%
When Scotland beat Denmark in a ridiculous last qualifier to confirm their first World Cup finals since 1998, the BBC interviewed two of the goalscorers, then captain Andy Robertson, then McGinn. There’s a reason for that. He doesn’t have the Scotland armband but he’s got a place in the squad all day, every day.
Youri Tielemans – 99%
Villa midfielder Tielemans is the newly appointed captain of Belgium and they made sure of their qualification for the World Cup by smashing Liechtenstein in their concluding qualifier. If he’s fit, he’s on the plane.
Amadou Onana – 75%
Another Belgian, Onana is now an experienced senior international despite his relatively young age. He’ll be in the squad, all being well, and that’s the only question mark. He was in the squad in November and had to withdraw. Less of that, please.
Lucas Digne – 85%
France qualified with ease from Group D and Digne is a fixture in Didier Deschamps squad. At 32, there’s a good chance this is the left-back’s last crack at the World Cup. As a regular inclusion under Deschamps with more than 50 caps to his name, he should be in good shape for one last tournament.
Boubacar Kamara – 30%
To say the French midfield is competitive would be an understatement. It’s tempting as a Villa supporter to assume that Kamara’s form should, over a season, take him back into the squad. The only problem with that assumption is that it’s not necessarily true.
Donyell Malen – 95%
The Netherlands won Group G and Malen scored four goals in qualifying, including the fourth against Lithuania as they tied up their qualification with a breezy rout in the last game. His first cap of 2026 will be his 50th. He’s a lock, as they say in two of the host nations.
Ian Maatsen – 30%
Maatsen’s participation is less assured. The Villa left-back made his senior Netherlands debut in 2025 and scored, but has not been called up by Ronald Koeman since March. At 23, his best years are still in front of him. His first World Cup might be out there somewhere too but it’s by no means certain to come in 2026.
Pau Torres – 10%
Spain eased through qualifying but Torres, an infrequent international since his debut in 2019, is looking in from the outside when it comes to selection for the World Cup finals in 2026. Being Villa’s first choice should help his cause.
Matty Cash – 30%
If Poland get to the World Cup, Cash will be going there with them. After finishing second behind the Netherlands in their group, they now need to navigate a play-off path to claim a berth.
Victor Lindelöf – 35%
Sweden finished bottom of their qualification group and were thankful that their Nations League ranking offers a second bite of the cherry via the play-offs. If they squeeze themselves through by that route, Lindelöf will be another Villa player at the World Cup as a national team skipper.
Emiliano Martínez – 99%
Argentina won four more games than anyone else in CONMEBOL qualifying. If he’s fit, this Emiliano is going to the World Cup as Lionel Scaloni and his team work on what they hope is a historic title defence.
Emi Buendía – 10%
This Emiliano is a much less likely selection for Scaloni but was in the most recent squad, such as it was, and came off the bench for his first cap in three years. Maybe. Just maybe.
Evann Guessand – 80%
Ivory Coast qualified unbeaten from their CAF group, edging out Gabon and, ultimately, contributing to their subsequent elimination. Guessand was in the Ivorian squad in November and has 15 caps since his debut last year.
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