A review of player birthplaces shows 98 World Cup players were born in France, more than any other country. The figure reflects not only France's renowned football development system but also the increasingly international nature of modern football, where players often represent nations linked to their family heritage rather than their place of birth.

The trend has been highlighted in reporting by The New York Times , which has documented how migration, dual nationality and diaspora communities have transformed the composition of national teams across major international tournaments.

The 10 most common birthplaces among players at the 2026 World Cup are:

Europe accounts for nine of the top ten birthplaces, highlighting the continent's continued dominance in player development and elite football infrastructure .

A global game with local roots

Many players born in France represent countries in Africa, the Caribbean and other regions due to FIFA eligibility rules, which allow athletes to play for nations connected through parents, grandparents or citizenship.

France's diverse population and extensive youth academy network have helped make the country one of football's most productive talent exporters. Similar patterns can be seen in the Netherlands, England, Belgium and Germany, where multicultural communities have contributed significantly to the international player pool.

India, the world's most populous country with more than 1.47 billion people, remains the largest nation never to qualify for a FIFA World Cup , highlighting one of international football's most striking contrasts between population size and sporting success.

Data compiled by Seasia Stats , based on global population estimates and FIFA qualification records, shows that several of the world's most populous countries have yet to make an appearance at football's premier tournament despite representing hundreds of millions of people.

India tops the list, followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and the Philippines, all nations with populations exceeding 100 million.

While countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Germany and France have built rich World Cup traditions, many heavily populated nations continue to struggle to reach the finals.

According to Seasia Stats, the ten most populous countries that have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup are:

Together, these nations account for more than 2.4 billion people , nearly one-third of the world's population.

Speaking on Thursday, Qalibaf said the memorandum signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump is based on reciprocal action from both sides.

"Every commitment we make, is reciprocal, and action for action. This has been fully stipulated in Clause 13. We have appointed observers for this matter, which means we must jointly agree on the identity of these observers, as well as on these mediators and the other countries tasked with implementation," Qalibaf stated.

"But rest assured, if they fail to fulfill [on any of the clauses], we will not fulfill [our part] accordingly," he added.

Qalibaf said the agreement also includes plans to direct significant investment into Iran during the negotiation period.

"One of the measures we took here [MoU] was to allocate 300 billion dollars so that, during this same negotiation period, which is a limited 60-day window, we can channel these 300 billion dollars into the investment sector," he continued.

Despite participating in the negotiations, Qalibaf said he remains deeply sceptical of the United States.

"I am the one who has the most distrust [of the US], especially because I am the negotiator. I told Mr JD Vance in Islamabad that I came here to negotiate, but know this well that we have complete distrust toward you. We have come here in good faith," he concluded.

The remarks came after the signing of the memorandum between Tehran and Washington, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif endorsing the agreement as mediator.

The conflict that led to the negotiations began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with missile attacks, escalating tensions across the region.

A conditional ceasefire was announced on April 8, paving the way for talks between the two sides.