In the world of club football, the English Premier League (EPL) is the ultimate melting pot—for talent, culture and money. World Cup 2026, one of the rare occasions that players shed their club jerseys for national shirts, illustrates the chasm between EPL and every other league. Even in its expanded format, with 48 teams instead of the 2022 edition’s 32 , the EPL has more players taking part in World Cup 2026 than any other league.
