Major League Soccer is contributing up to 44 players to the national teams that will compete in the World Cup

MLS leads all leagues in the Western Hemisphere in terms of contributions, and these are the players who will be participating

During the FIFA World Cup, the 48 participating teams from around the globe will have a total of 44 players competing in Major League Soccer (MLS), with the U.S. league contributing the most players of any league in the Western Hemisphere.

In total, 103 of the World Cup players have played in MLS, demonstrating that the league is playing an increasingly important role as a destination for elite international talent. And of this group of 103—including current and former players—42 came up through an MLS academy or MLS NEXT Pro.

These 44 players are from 21 different clubs, which is also the highest number of clubs of any league in the world. Los Angeles FC has the most players on the roster, with up to four players selected. In addition, MLS players represent 17 different countries across six continents and are spread across 11 of the 12 groups.

Among the first players to compete in MLS NEXT, advance to MLS NEXT Pro, and make their first-team debuts are Alex Freeman (United States; Villarreal), Rayan Elloumi (Tunisia; Vancouver Whitecaps FC), and Esmir Bajraktarević (Bosnia and Herzegovina; PSV Eindhoven). There are a total of 19 players, who have made more than 300 appearances and scored 50 goals.

As for the U.S. and Canadian national teams, of the 52 players selected, 79% played in the MLS or at an academy. For the first time in history, half of the players on each country’s roster came through this system, and they have combined for more than 3,000 regular-season games played, 300 goals, and 15 appearances in the MLS All-Star Game.

Below is the list of MLS players who will be competing in the FIFA World Cup: