Norwich City's World Cup Legacy
In Norwich City's history, just five players have featured at a FIFA World Cup while at the club. This summer, five Canaries head to North America with the chance to double that tally.
The 2026 iteration of football's biggest prize will kick off this Thursday, and City supporters will be afforded the opportunity to cheer on plenty of their current stars throughout the summer. Kenny McLean (Scotland), Anis Ben Slimane (Tunisia), Mo Toure (Australia), Jose Cordoba (Panama), and Ali Ahmed (Canada) will be flying the yellow and green flag on the world stage.
Historic Players from Norwich City
This will be a historic summer for Norwich. Their tally of World Cup representatives, whilst on the books at Carrow Road, could double. We've looked back at the previous Canaries who played in a tournament as contracted City members.
The first Norwich City player to appear at a World Cup was Martin O'Neill, who captained Northern Ireland at the 1982 tournament in Spain. O'Neill had returned to Carrow Road for a second spell from Manchester City in February for 125,000, arriving with Norwich sat 11th in the Second Division, 13 points adrift of the promotion places.
Of all the City players to experience a World Cup, few had a better campaign than Andy Townsend in 1990. Signed from Southampton for 300,000 in August 1988, Townsend's performances at Carrow Road quickly established him as a key figure and earned him international recognition.
Norwich City had to wait 24 years and six World Cups for their next player to feature on football's biggest stage. Step forward Leroy Fer, who was part of Louis van Gaal's side that reached the semi-finals in 2014.
Recent World Cup Participation
Josh Sargent was the last Norwich City player to feature in a World Cup during the 2022 tournament in Qatar. A winter World Cup and a Championship season put on pause made for a unique experience.
Sargent started the USA's opening game against Wales, hitting the post in the first half. He returned to the starting line-up for a must-win decider with Iran but suffered an ankle injury during the match.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Norwich City fans are eager to see if their current stars can make history and add to the club's World Cup legacy.