Barcelona will have a record 10 first-team players involved in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, more than any other club remaining in the tournament.
Eight members of Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad are contracted to the Catalan club, while Jules Koundé has reached the last four with France and summer signing Anthony Gordon remains in contention with England.
The total surpasses Barcelona’s previous record of eight semi-finalists, achieved at both the 2010 and 2018 World Cups.
Eight Barcelona players remain with Spain
According to Barcelona’s official overview of its World Cup representatives, Joan García, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal make up the club’s eight-player Spanish contingent.
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Their presence means Barcelona accounts for almost a third of Spain’s 26-man squad.
Several have played important roles during Spain’s journey through the tournament. Cubarsí, Pedri, Olmo and Yamal have all started knockout matches, while Ferran Torres provided the assist for Mikel Merino’s winner against Portugal in the round of 16.
Spain progressed to the semi-finals by beating Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles, setting up a meeting with Koundé and France.
Koundé and Gordon complete record contingent
Koundé is Barcelona’s only representative in the French squad. The defender played 87 minutes as France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals and has been a regular part of Didier Deschamps’ side throughout the competition.
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Gordon, who joined Barcelona ahead of the 2026/27 season, is the club’s sole England representative. The winger provided the assist for Jude Bellingham’s equaliser during England’s 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway and played 70 minutes of the quarter-final.
England will now face defending champions Argentina, meaning Barcelona players will feature in both semi-finals.
Previous record surpassed
Barcelona had twice previously sent eight players into the World Cup semi-finals.
The first occasion came in 2010, when eight members of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona squad represented Spain during their successful campaign in South Africa. The figure was matched in 2018, when the club’s remaining players were spread across Spain, France, Belgium and Croatia.
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The 10 players involved in 2026 therefore establish a new club record. Barcelona are also the most represented side in the current semi-finals, one player ahead of Atlético Madrid.
Atlético have five Argentina internationals, Nahuel Molina, Julián Álvarez, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone and Juan Musso, as well as four players with Spain: Marc Pubill, Álex Grimaldo, Álex Baena and Marcos Llorente.
Arsenal sit third with eight semi-finalists across France, Spain and England.
Barcelona guaranteed a World Cup finalist
France and Spain meet at Dallas Stadium on July 14, ensuring that at least one Barcelona player will reach the final.
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England’s meeting with Argentina follows at Atlanta Stadium on July 15. The winners will contest the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Barcelona are not guaranteed to have a player lift the trophy, but their presence in the semi-finals underlines the scale of the club’s representation at the tournament.
With 10 players still involved and at least one certain to appear in the final, the 2026 World Cup has already become the most successful in Barcelona’s history in terms of representation at the latter stages.
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