FIFA World Cup 2026 Players: The magic of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is spread across the world. Sadly, India is not included in this great event. After losing the opportunity to play the World Cup in 1950, India has not been able to qualify to play in the World Cup till date. Now it is not even discussed.
Nevertheless, the 2026 event brings an added attraction for Indian football fans. This time is the first time when four players of Indian origin are playing for teams from different countries in the same World Cup event. These players are: Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand), Nishan Velupillai (Australia), Samuel Mautuswamy (DR Congo) and Tahseen Mohammed Jamsheed (Qatar). The presence of these players on the world stage is a great indication of the football strength of the Indian diaspora.
Sarpreet Singh: From Germany to the World Cup
Sarpreet Singh’s roots are from Jalandhar in Punjab. But he himself was born in Auckland. Sarpreet was the first Indian-origin player to play for the legendary club FC Bayern Munich in Germany’s top league. He is now the key midfielder for the New Zealand national team ‘All Whites’. Sarpreet Singh entered the field as a substitute in New Zealand’s first match against Iran in the World Cup 2026 on 16 June. The match ended in a 2-2 draw and New Zealand became one of the early surprise teams of the tournament.
Nishan Velupillai: Australia’s new star
Nishan Velupillai’s mother is Anglo-Indian while his father is of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. Nishan plays winger position in the Australian team. He earned a place in the national team after impressive performances in the domestic league in the last two years. Nishan had performed well in the World Cup qualifier round.
Talking about World Cup debut, Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 in its first match. In this match, Nishan came on the field in the second half and contributed to the team’s victory.
Samuel Motuswamy: DR Congo’s superfast midfielder
Samuel comes from a Tamil Indian origin family. He has also played in Greece’s Super League after a long spell at France’s top clubs. Samuel is a member of DR Congo’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. DR Congo caused the biggest upset of the tournament by holding Portugal to a 1–1 draw on 17 June. Samuel handled the midfield, playing the full 90 minutes. With this draw, DR Congo secured its first World Cup point.
Tehseen Mohammed Jamsheed: Son of Kannur
Tahseen Mohammed’s parents are from Kannur district of Kerala. Tahseen created history by making it to Qatar’s World Cup team at the age of 19. Tahseen plays for Qatar’s leading club Al Duhail SC.
Tahseen may have been born and raised in Qatar, but his sporting identity is rooted in the footballing traditions of the Malabar region of Kerala. Tahseen’s father Jamsheed Thachanakandi himself has been an excellent footballer. Jamsheed played for Calicut University and represented the Kerala sub-junior team with the Indian football giants in 1985. Jamsheed hails from Thalassery, a coastal town in the Kannur district of Kerala, which is famous for its historical association with football. He moved to Qatar in 1996 to work as an accountant.
Before 2026, only one player of Indian origin had participated in the Men’s World Cup, whose name was Vikash Dhorasu. Dhorasu, who plays for France, has ancestral roots in a simple Telugu family from Andhra Pradesh. He played two matches at the 2006 World Cup and finished as runner-up with France.
