How the World Cup Will Disrupt Every Premier League Club's Summer Plans

The World Cup kicks off in just eight weeks, which means Premier League managers will have precisely nine weeks to perfect their excuses for a sluggish start to the 2026/27 campaign.

More than 200 players representing Our League will be competing for 37 different nations in America, handing countless bosses the perfect get-out clause when things go pear-shaped in August. We've ranked all 20 Premier League sides based on the scale of their World Cup exodus, focusing only on genuine first-team players and excluding those out on loan elsewhere.

The Hardest Hit

Manchester City (20 players)

Pep's squad has been absolutely decimated by international call-ups. England's contingent includes Guehi, Foden, O'Reilly, Stones, and Trafford, while Portugal claim Dias, Nunes, and Silva. The Dutch have nabbed Ake and Reijnders, with further departures heading to Algeria, Belgium, Croatia, Egypt, France, Ghana, Norway, Spain, and Uzbekistan. The real question isn't how City cope without these players—it's whether any of this will still be Guardiola's headache by then.

Arsenal (19 players)

The Gunners have assembled quite the international squad. England's Rice, Saka, Eze, Madueke, and White are among those departing, whilst Spain will be represented by Merino, Zubimendi, Raya, and Mosquera. Brazil, Norway, Germany, Colombia, Belgium, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands all have Arsenal representatives heading to the States. Arteta might find the Community Shield preparation looks rather appealing when half his squad vanishes.

Crystal Palace (15 players)

Henderson and Wharton represent England, while Palace will also lose players to France, Argentina, Colombia, Croatia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Morocco, Norway, Senegal, Spain, and the USA. The incoming manager faces a nightmare scenario—a pre-season decimated by international duty. Worth noting: Guessand's inclusion here reflects Palace's obligation to buy the loanee, so expect him to trigger that clause before heading off with Ivory Coast.

Chelsea (14 players)

The Blues will be without Fernandez and Garnacho (Argentina), James and Palmer (England), Neto and Essugo (Portugal), Santos, Joao Pedro, and Estevao (Brazil), plus players heading to Ecuador, France, the Netherlands, Senegal, and Spain. Some of these lads will view the tournament as a personal shop window, and a handful aren't shy about admitting it. The whole operation feels rather fragmented, doesn't it?

Tottenham Hotspur (14 players)

Solanke and Spence depart for England, with Simons and van de Ven heading to the Netherlands. International duty will also claim Romero (Argentina), Danso (Austria), Richarlison (Brazil), Kinsky (Czech Republic), Kudus (Ghana), Matar Sarr (Senegal), Porro (Spain), Bergvall and Kulusevski (Sweden), and Bentancur (Uruguay). Beyond these names, nobody at Spurs is particularly bothered about the World Cup—or much else besides Sunderland next week. Kulusevski, despite barely playing all season, isn't about to miss his chance with Sweden.

Liverpool (13 players)

Frimpong, Gravenberch, Gakpo, and van Dijk will fly the Dutch flag, while Ekitike and Konate represent France. The Reds also lose Macallister (Argentina), Alisson (Brazil), Salah (Egypt), Wirtz (Germany), Endo (Japan), Robertson (Scotland), and Isak (Sweden). Salah won't be a Liverpool concern once the tournament ends, whilst Isak's return should give him adequate opportunities to prove his fitness. Remarkably, Liverpool will have zero England representation heading to America.

Manchester United (13 players)

Maguire and Mainoo go for England, Dalot and Fernandes for Portugal, with Martinez heading to Argentina. The rest are distributed across Belgium, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Morocco, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Uruguay. The United contingent will probably board their flights having no earthly idea which manager will greet them upon their return. Casemiro, mind you, might just decide to stay put in the States.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (12 players)

Gomes, Toti Gomes, Mane, and Sa represent Portugal, with Andre and Joao Gomes flying the Brazilian colours. Hwang heads to South Korea, with further departures to Norway, Uruguay, Colombia, Czech Republic, and Haiti. That's considerable international pedigree for a side that spent much of this season genuinely worried about becoming the worst-ever Premier League team. The World Cup stage awaits to remind everyone what these lads can do.

Newcastle United (11 players)

Barnes, Burn, Gordon, Livramento, and Ramsdale depart for England, whilst Guimaraes and Joelinton represent Brazil. Thiaw and Woltemade head to Germany, with Wissa going to Congo and Elanga to Sweden. Italy's latest administrative catastrophe at least gives Tonali's agent a full summer to shop him around to half-interested suitors. Whether that complicates Newcastle's pursuit of Guimaraes as an outgoing transfer remains to be seen.

Sunderland (11 players)

The Black Cats lose players to Haiti, Ivory Coast, Morocco, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, and Congo. Xhaka's departure to the World Cup will almost certainly see his international cap tally approach 150 by the time he returns to Wearside.

Aston Villa (10 players)

Konsa, Rogers, and Watkins represent England, with Martinez and Buendia heading to Argentina. Belgium will have Onana and Tielemans, whilst Digne goes to France, McGinn to Scotland, and Lindelof to Sweden. Two of Villa's three England representatives are certainties for the squad, and Watkins' recent absence from the national team setup might actually work in his favour.

Bournemouth (10 players)

Senesi and Soler depart for Argentina, with Gannon-Doak and Christie heading to Scotland. Rayan represents Brazil, Scott flies the English colours, and further departures head to Morocco, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the USA. Scott would do well to keep his optimism about the World Cup rather than contemplating which beach he might watch it from—his time will come. For Adams, this feels like a genuinely significant summer.

Brighton & Hove Albion (8 players)

Verbruggen and van Hecke represent the Netherlands, with De Cuyper heading to Belgium. Gross goes to Germany, Mitoma to Japan, Gomez to Paraguay, Ayari to Sweden, and Kadioglu to Turkey. Welbeck's absence from this list remains utterly baffling.

Nottingham Forest (8 players)

Anderson and Gibbs-White depart for England, with Boly and Sangare representing Ivory Coast. Wood heads to New Zealand, Ndoye to Switzerland, Sells to Belgium, and Victor to Brazil. Forest will hope Anderson adds another £10-20 million to his asking price for City and United, though early-season relegation would rather undermine their negotiating position.

Fulham (7 players)

Berge and Bobb head to Norway, Castagne to Belgium, Jimenez to Mexico, Diop to Morocco, Cairney to Scotland, and Robinson to the USA. Wilson's absence here represents a World Cup that might have been.

Leeds United (6 players)

Calvert-Lewin flies the English flag, with Stach heading to Germany, Tanaka to Japan, Gudmundsson to Sweden, Okafor to Switzerland, and Aaronson to the USA. Calvert-Lewin needs a strong finish to the season if he's to make Kane's travelling party, which can only benefit Leeds.

West Ham United (6 players)

Soucek represents the Czech Republic, Wan-Bissaka heads to Congo, Bowen flies for England, Areola for France, Fernandes for Portugal, and Diouf for Senegal. Will West Ham win the World Cup for England again? Bowen ought to be fighting for one of the final squad spots.

Everton (5 players)

Pickford and Garner depart for England, Gueye and Ndiaye for Senegal, and Patterson for Scotland. Pickford's selection is a formality, but Garner looks likely to miss the cut—which should give David Moyes a considerably more peaceful pre-season than most of his peers.

Brentford (5 players)

Thiago heads to Brazil as perhaps the most eye-catching name on any squad sheet, Henderson flies for England, Schade goes to Germany, Ajer to Norway, and Hickey to Scotland. It's rather lovely that Brazil's World Cup striker plays for little Brentford, isn't it?

Burnley (5 players)

Tuanzebe departs for DR Congo after scoring the goal that sent them to the finals, with Hartman and Ekdal's prospects looking decidedly slim for the Netherlands and Sweden respectively. Foster heads to the tournament, and Mejbri represents Tunisia. Whoever manages Burnley's pre-season should have a relatively clear run-in to the Championship campaign.