FIFA World Cup 2026: Players of Cameroonian origin in action

Cameroon will not participate in the 2026 World Cup held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting on June 11. But on North American lawns, the flag of Cameroon will fly through a generation of players born or from Cameroonian families who defend the colors of France, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden or Côte d'Ivoire.

Breel Embolo, the Swiss who never forgot Yaoundé

Breel Embolo will compete in the 2026 World Cup for his third time under the colours of Switzerland after the 2018 and 2022 editions. Born on 14 February 1997 in Yaoundé to Cameroonian parents, the Stade Rennais striker now has 85 caps and 23 goals with Nati. Approached several times by Cameroon, Embolo had quickly opted for Switzerland, which he joined in the youth categories before his first selection in 2015.

At 29, the former AS Monaco player arrives in North America with a solid international experience: three Euros (2016, 2020, 2024) and now three World Cups. In Qatar in 2022, he scored two goals in the group phase, including the one scored against Cameroon, celebrated with restraint. This season, he played 31 Ligue 1 matches for 8 goals and 3 assists with Rennes. His power and percussion profile remains central in the system of selector Murat Yakın.

Yvon Mvogo, patience rewarded

Yvon Mvogo knows the winding paths of international football. Born on 6 June 1994 in Yaoundé, the FC Lorient goalkeeper had been approached as early as 2014 by Switzerland, but he had to wait until 2018 to honor his first official selection against Iceland. Now 32 years old, he has 12 caps with Nati and will play his second World Cup after that of Russia in 2018.

Absent from the 2022 World Cup due to a kneecap injury, the Swiss goalkeeper returns this time with a more solid status in the Swiss hierarchy. Number two in the national team behind Gregor Kobel, Mvogo remains on a full season with Lorient: 31 Ligue 1 games played and 6 clean sheets. In 2025, he was also crowned best goalkeeper of Ligue 2 after participating in the rise of the Breton club in the French elite.

Kylian Mbappé, the heir to Cameroonian roots

Kylian Mbappé will be one of the major attractions of this 2026 World Cup. Born of a Cameroonian father, Wilfried Mbappé, and an Algerian mother, the captain of the French team arrives in North America with the ambition to regain the world title after the coronation of 2018 and the final lost in 2022 against Argentina despite its historic hat-trick.

Now a Real Madrid player, Mbappé is coming out of an impressive season with 25 goals and 5 assists in 31 La Liga matches, to which are added 15 goals in 11 Champions League games. With Les Bleus, he already has 96 caps and 56 goals. His record includes 21 trophies, including a World Cup, a League of Nations and several national titles. At 27 years old, he remains one of the major faces in world football.

Aurélien Tchouaméni, the Madrid colossus in the heart of France

Aurélien Tchouaméni has established himself as one of the strong men of the French midfield. Born of Cameroonian parents from the West region, the Real Madrid player has never hidden his attachment to his roots. "I do not forget that I am also Cameroonian," he confided recently.

Finalist of the 2022 World Cup with France, Tchouaméni approaches this World Championship with the status of indisputable starting player in the midfield of Didier Deschamps. This season, he played 33 La Liga games for one goal, as well as 13 Champions League matches with a goal and an assist. His ability to catch the balls, break the lines and secure the defensive balance makes him one of the leaders of the French national team.

William Saliba, the rock of the French defense

William Saliba arrives at the 2026 World Cup with a completely different status than in Qatar in 2022. Born in Bondy to a Cameroonian mother and a Franco-Lebanese father, the Arsenal FC defender has established himself as one of the best central players in Europe thanks to his performances in the Premier League.

2026 English Champion with Arsenal and winner of the 2023 Community Shield, Saliba now has 31 caps with the French team. This season, he played 31 Premier League games for one goal, as well as 11 Champions League matches. Solid in the duels and very clean in the restart, he is now a defensive leader among the Blues.

Amadou Onana, the lungs of the Red Devils

Born in Dakar in 2001 to a Cameroonian father and a Senegalese mother, Amadou Onana could have been spoilt for choice internationally. Finally, it’s for Belgium that the giant distributes smiles and sliding tackles. In midfield, Onana will play an essential role in the balance of the Red Devils thanks to her XXL physical impact and her ability to collect countless balloons. Able to break the lines with his destructive runs, he will be the official bodyguard of the Belgian technicians.

Aston Villa’s midfielder has established himself as one of the best in his position in Europe. This season, he has earned a top continental record by becoming the winner of the Europa League with Birmingham. Statistically, he has recorded 25 games and 2 goals in the Premier League, as well as 12 games in the Europa League. In the national team, he has established himself as an indisputable starter by playing 7 games for 1 goal under the jersey of Belgium in 2026.

Anthony Elanga, the prodigy of the Elanga dynasty

For the Elangas, football is a family affair and a World Cup. If the father, Joseph Elanga, was part of the 1998 World Cup adventure with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, son Anthony, born in Malmö to Cameroonian parents, chose to make Sweden shine. Transferred to Newcastle where he continues to traumatize the Premier League wing-backs with his supersonic speed, the former Manchester United youngster brings a touch of madness and verticality that are essential for the Swedish selection.

The 24-year-old winger was also one of the great architects of the Scandinavians' qualification for the World Cup, posting 6 games played and 2 goals scored in the playoffs. At the club, his season was particularly successful with first-class statistics: 32 games and an assist in the Premier League with the Magpies, coupled with 10 games and 2 goals in the Champions League.

Evan Ndicka, the Ivorian wall

Evan Ndicka still hopes to participate in the World Cup despite a muscle injury contracted during the derby between AS Roma and Lazio. Born to a Cameroonian father, the Ivorian central defender remains a major element of the Elephants since their coronation at the 2023 AFCON.

At 26 years old, Ndicka already has 27 caps with Côte d'Ivoire. This season, he played 31 Serie A matches for 3 goals, as well as 10 Europa League games with 2 goals. During the qualifiers for this World Cup, he had taken part in 7 matches. His presence or not in the first round could weigh heavily on Ivorian ambitions.