Football is becoming an increasingly globalised sport, with international players comprising the majority of these six football leagues around the world
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Back in 1978, just one in fifty players at the World Cup were born outside the country they represented. Fast forward to 2022, and that figure had soared to one in six. In today’s World Cup, almost a quarter of the 1,248 players were born in a different country from the one they represent. Some teams, like Curacao and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have extremely high ratios of players born abroad (96 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively).
In total, foreign-born players comprise most of the footballers in eight of the World Cup’s 48 teams.
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Football is increasingly one of the most globalised sports, with players migrating to countries around the world.
Global migration has surged since 1990, with the number of international migrants almost doubling from 154 million to 304 million in 2024. Football has both reflected and contributed to this trend, with players moving across borders in search of opportunities to play for different teams.
Not only does globalisation exist in national teams – like those in the World Cup – but it is also apparent in the leagues within each country.
Here, we reveal the countries whose leagues have the highest percentage of international players, according to data from the International Centre for Sports Studies as of 2023. These are defined as players who play outside the association in which they grew up, having left it after being recruited by a foreign club. All leagues in this dataset are the top divisions of their respective countries.
6) England – 60.6 per cent
Clubs in England’s Premier League recruit extensively from Africa, Europe, Asia and South America. Data shows that players from more than 70 nationalities are represented across the league, but back in 1992, just 13 foreign players played in the Premier League.
One reason the Premier League attracts so many international players is the financial incentives it offers. The league generates more revenue than any other, meaning clubs can offer salaries that many other leagues worldwide cannot match.
Between 2009 and 2019, Brazilian and Argentinian players were the most represented non-Europeans in the Premier League. The most represented European country in the Premier League was France.
5) Italy – 61.3 per cent
In 1995, a ruling known as the Bosman ruling allowed free movement of players within the European Union. As such, this increased cross-border transfers, with Italian clubs expanding their recruitment from across Europe and later from South America and Africa.
In particular, Italian clubs in the highest level of football – known as Serie A – have long recruited from Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Many South American players are eligible for Italian citizenship via family ancestry, aiding the ease at which transfers can occur.
4) Scotland – 63.2 per cent
With a population of around 5.5 million, Scotland’s Premiership produces fewer elite players than those of larger football nations. As such, domestic talent is supplemented with recruitment from various nations around the world.
Scotland’s two major clubs in the Premiership – Celtic and Rangers – regularly scout players from Japan, South Korea, Portugal, Scandinavia, Australia and Latin America. In particular, Japan has become a key source of signings: in just two years, from 2021 to 2023, eight Japanese players were signed by Scottish Premiership teams.
3) Türkiye – 63.5 per cent
Türkiye’s Süper Lig – the highest level in the Turkish league football system – recruits heavily from South America, Africa, the Balkans and Western Europe.
One of the biggest drivers for foreign-born players entering Türkiye’s Süper Lig has been the Turkish Football Federation’s decision to relax foreign-player limits. In 2015, clubs were allowed to register up to 14 foreign players – a decision which significantly increased overseas recruitment.
Türkiye’s geographical location as a bridge between Europe, Asia and the Middle East also makes it an attractive location for prospective football players seeking to move between markets.
2) Greece – 64.3 per cent
Greece’s highest football league, Super League 1, is incredibly diverse – 64.3 per cent of its players come from other countries. The average football team in the league fielded players from around 13 different countries, especially the Balkans, South America, West Africa, and Portugal.
1) Cyprus – 70.8 per cent
At number one is Cyprus: its Cypriot First Division has more international players than any league in the world. Certain clubs within the Cypriot First Division have a significant proportion of international players – for example, Paphos FC’s squad (92.3 per cent foreign-born) and Aris Limassol (88.5 per cent) are among the highest figures recorded in Europe.
In the 2025–26 season, players in the Cypriot First Division came from countries including Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Argentina, Ghana and South Africa.
Clubs across Cyprus have traditionally favoured short-term recruitment of overseas players, instead of long-term player development, according to CIES analysis, allowing the league to remain internationally diverse.
