The 2026 World Cup in North America is shaping up to have a distinctly green-and-white flavour, particularly in Group F.
On Tuesday night, Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren joined several of his club teammates by playing a key role in booking Sweden’s ticket to world football’s biggest stage.
Sweden secured a thrilling playoff victory over Poland, with Nygren supplying an assist, and it now means Graham Potter’s side will fall into Group F, alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.
Celtic fans will immediately clock some of the heavy Hoops presence in this unpredictable group, with a stellar cast of past and present stars ready to feature.
So, let’s take a look at them…
Does Sebastian Tounekti have a future beyond this season at Celtic?
Celtic stars past and present set to fight it out in Group F of the 2026 World Cup
Nygren and his jubilant Swedish teammates will face a formidable Netherlands side heavily influenced by some of the best to have worn the Celtic colours.
The Dutch squad boasts the elite defensive pedigree of Virgil van Dijk, who gets into Celtic’s best XI of the 21st century, alongside the dynamic and underrated Jeremie Frimpong.
Both players put their names up in lights at Parkhead before reaching the pinnacle of European football, and their inclusion ensures Celtic fans will have plenty of familiar faces to track this summer.
The Japanese national team brings even more Celtic representation to Group F, including several struggling stars trying to claw their way into manager Hajime Moriyasu’s plans.
Despite Daizen Maeda’s struggles at Celtic this term, he continues to get picked by Japan, including wearing the captain’s armband against Scotland at Hampden over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Reo Hatate, who missed out on the latest squad selection, will be keen to end the season on a high under Martin O’Neill and earn that golden ticket.
Rounding out the group is Tunisia, featuring Celtic’s new kid on the block, Sebastian Tounekti, ensuring that almost every single fixture in Group F will have a vested interest for the Celtic Park faithful.
From current stars looking to make their mark to former heroes dominating the global stage, this World Cup group is an absolute must-watch for Celtic supporters everywhere.
Of course, not everyone on this list is certain to get selected, but these are some of the names who could feature.
- The Netherlands – van Dijk and Frimpong
- Japan – Maeda, Hatate, Iwata, and Kyogo
- Sweden – Nygren, Lagerbielke and Starfelt
- Tunisia – Tounekti
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
