1. France – €1.53 billion
France became the most expensive team of the tournament. In Didier Deschamps’ squad, four players cost more than €100 million, including Kylian Mbappe (€200 million), Ousmane Dembele, Michael Oliseh and Desiré Douet.
The Frenchmen are among the top contenders for the title, writes Forbes. Most of the leaders of the golden generation are still in the ranks, and more than 70% of the players play for foreign clubs. France will play in Group I along with Norway, Senegal and Iraq.
2. England – €1.31 billion
Despite the controversy surrounding the squad chosen by Thomas Tuchel, England remain the second most expensive team in the league. Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Harry Maguire were left out of the bid, which caused a strong reaction in the country.
Jude Bellingham (€140m) is considered the main star of the national team. Along with him, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are valued at over €120m. England will try to win their second title in history after winning the 1966 World Cup at home.
3. Spain – €1.26 billion
The reigning European champions are considered the main favorite for the tournament according to the Opta supercomputer. The team’s main hope is 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, whose value has reached €200 million.
Barcelona midfielder Pedri (€150m) is also among the most expensive players. Interestingly, for the first time in a long time, the Spanish national team went to a major tournament without representatives of Real Madrid.
4. Portugal – €1.02 billion
Portugal closes the quartet of teams with a squad more expensive than a billion euros. The main assets of the team are PSG midfielders Vitinha and Joao Neves, each of whom is valued at €140 million.
Particular attention is focused on Cristiano Ronaldo. For the 41-year-old forward, this is already the sixth World Cup in his career. Only Lionel Messi and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa have previously achieved the same feat.
5. Germany – €998 million
The Germans are just a little bit short of the one billion euro mark. After failures at the last two World Cups, Julian Nagelsmann’s team is looking to regain its status as one of the tournament favorites.
The most expensive player in the national team is Liverpool newcomer Florian Wirtz (€110 million). The squad also includes the experienced Manuel Neuer, who at the age of 40 will once again become the national team’s number one.
6. Brazil – €912.2 million
The five-time world champions are still among the top contenders for the title. The main star of the team is Vinicius Júnior, whose value is estimated at €150 million.
The return of Neymar is of particular interest. The top scorer in the history of the Brazilian national team received a call-up for the tournament, but head coach Carlo Ancelotti made it clear that the veteran will not be a key figure in the team.
7. Netherlands – €837.2 million
The Netherlands remain one of the strongest teams in the world, although they have yet to win the title. The Dutch have played in the World Cup finals three times, but lost each time.
More than 92% of the current squad play for foreign clubs. The most expensive player is Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch (€90 million).
8. Argentina – €818.5 million
The reigning world champions are traveling to defend their title with one of the oldest squads in the tournament. Lionel Messi will be 39 years old during the championship.
Nine 2022 World Champions were not included in the final bid, but the Argentines still have a powerful squad. The most expensive players are Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez, each worth €90 million.
9. Norway – €601 million
The main sensation of the ranking was Norway, which for the first time in many years is among the most expensive national teams in the world. Almost a third of the team’s value is accounted for by one player – Erling Holann (€200 million).
Together with captain Martin Edegaard, the Norwegians expect to achieve the best result in their history. The team has not participated in the World Cup since 1998 and is now considered one of the most dangerous opponents among European teams.
10. Belgium – €542.9 million
Belgium completes the top ten. For many of the leaders of the current squad, the upcoming tournament could be the last chance to win a major international trophy.
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois are still in the team, but the most expensive players are already the representatives of the new generation – Jérémie Doku (€65 million) and Amadou Onana (€45 million).
Who is the most expensive?
Three players share the title of the most expensive players of the World Cup-2026. According to Transfermarkt, the transfer value of Kylian Mbappe (France), Lamine Yamal (Spain) and Erling Holann (Norway) is €200 million each.
France has assembled the most expensive squad of the tournament, and analysts consider Spain to be the main favorite. However, the history of the World Cup has repeatedly proved that the cost of the squad does not always guarantee victory on the pitch.
