From non-league to the world stage: potential players at the 2026 World Cup with roots in the pyramid

The FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, meaning that non-league fans will have something new to focus on and look forward to during the off-season. Interestingly, there is a chance that you will also be able to see some players who have risen through the ranks to get to the world stage.

While the majority of players picked for national teams heading into the World Cup this year will come from the highest leagues worldwide, there are a few names among the squads that actually have roots in small-town football.

Looking at the potential big names heading into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, for example, much of the talent has emerged through Premier League or Championship academies. However, we’ve lined up three players who could be heading to North America this summer who actually started out much further down the pyramid.

Dan Burn (Blyth Spartans and Darlington)

Dan Burn has been a staple center-back both for his home team of West Ham and for the English national side over the past few years. However, did you know that the defender actually cut his teeth back in the non-leagues?

Burn’s rise through the ranks over the years is an impressive one, having started out at Newcastle’s youth team before making his way to AFC Blyth and Blyth Spartans in 2007. By 2009, he’d made it to Darlington’s U18 academy and was playing in the full squad by the end of the summer. He stayed there until summer 2011, when he moved to Fulham.

Burn’s spot in Tuchel’s World Cup squad may not be as safe as many assume, though his name has been put forward several times as an essential member of the national back line. Burn has remained optimistic, however, stating that he had to “try and manifest” his place in the squad.

As with all players who haven’t been confirmed yet, we will have to wait and see – many fans are keeping their fingers crossed that he will appear in LiveScore World Cup updates while the matches unfold.

Ben White (Newport County)

Ben White is a name that, up until recently, perhaps didn’t feature too heavily on fans’ lists of expected England call-ups. However, having come back to international play after several years away, a trip to North America is potentially looking likely for the defender (despite recent headlines).

While White has, for the most part, played in top-flight football across his career, he did enjoy a successful spell on loan to Newport County, as well as having played for the likes of Leeds and Peterborough. To that end, some fans still see him as a non-league favorite who’s made good.

That said, White’s place in the England team has been somewhat contentious recently, with the star returning to international duty after leaving for personal reasons in 2022. Tuchel himself has insisted that he believes in second chances, however, and has stated that it is necessary for White to “clear the air with teammates” ahead of any decisions made regarding the final squad.

Maximilian Kilman (Welling United, Marlow, and Maidenhead United)

Maximilian Kilman is seen as something of a long shot for a World Cup appearance given that his name hasn’t really appeared much in terms of projected international starts. However, the center-back is still potentially available, and he has had an interesting rise up the pyramid that’s worth discussing.

Kilman started his career playing at a variety of clubs during his youth, including Welling, Marlow, and Maidenhead. He moved around on loan before eventually finding a solid position at Wolves, and then West Ham.

Kilman, in fact, credits his non-league appearances for making him a stronger player. “I think I was lucky that I had that kind of journey as well because that made me stronger and helped me adapt to the game now,” he said to the press.

However, Kilman has had a fairly rocky season with the Hammers, and with his name being absent from call-up suggestions, it’s unlikely that he will make it into the England A-team. However, stranger things have happened!

As you can see, there are more than a few non-league players who we could see on the world stage this summer, so keep your eyes peeled (and not just on England)!