Arsenal will send a sizeable title-winning core to this summer’s World Cup, with 15 players representing 9 nations across the tournament in North America.
It is a striking measure of how far Mikel Arteta’s squad has come. After a historic 2025/26 season, Arsenal provide more players to the tournament than most other clubs, underlining both the quality of the side and the number of players now central to their national teams.
The spread is broad. Arsenal players will be involved for England, Spain, Norway, France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Ecuador, with the tournament being played across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
England and Spain have the strongest Arsenal presence. Thomas Tuchel has selected Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, giving England four players from a side that has just won the title. Spain’s squad includes David Raya, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, leaving them with an Arsenal spine from goalkeeper into midfield.
For Arsenal supporters, some of the individual stories are obvious. Martin Odegaard will captain Norway at their first World Cup of the modern era, taking his control and creativity from the Emirates to the biggest stage. William Saliba goes with France as an established defensive figure, no longer the peripheral presence of 2022 but a player who has become central to Arsenal’s rise.
Brazil have called up Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli, two players who were important parts of Arsenal’s title-winning side. Kai Havertz will be involved for Germany, while Leandro Trossard travels with Belgium after a productive season in Arteta’s attack.
The list also shows Arsenal’s depth beyond the most obvious names. Jurrien Timber was included with the Netherlands but has withdrawn due to his groin problem, Viktor Gyokeres with Sweden and Piero Hincapie with Ecuador, further evidence of international quality across almost every line of the squad.
For some Arsenal players, this will be a first World Cup. For others, it is a chance to move from elite club performers into the highest level of the international game. It will also make Arsenal one of the clubs most closely watched during the tournament, not only by supporters, but by anyone following player form, fitness and World Cup betting markets.
From Arsenal’s point of view, there is pride and risk. A large presence at the World Cup reinforces the club’s standing, its recruitment and its development of players under Arteta. It also means a major part of the squad will be playing high-intensity football deep into the summer, with fatigue and injuries an obvious concern before they return to club duty.
Either way, when the World Cup begins in North America, Arsenal will be heavily involved. For a club that has just won the title, it is another sign of a squad built not only to dominate domestically, but to shape the international game as well.