Which former ISL players can feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Two players who have earlier represented Kerala Blasters in ISL can actually feature on the biggest stage for football.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is only a few months away, and excitement is palpable among football fans, who can’t wait to watch the entertaining matches at the grandest stage for the beautiful game. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to feature 48 teams, with 12 different groups being played as part of the expansion of the tournament.

This significant expansion has actually benefitted some of the relatively weaker national teams, who have been able to take advantage to qualify for the World Cup. That means the upcoming tournament is going to feature certain players who might have never even played in a major European league in their careers!

In fact, there is actually a strong possibility for former Indian Super League (ISL) foreign players to have the chance to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As some relatively lower-ranked teams have earned their qualification into the tournament, which will be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada, that means certain individuals who have had to grind their way in the lowly leagues can get the chance to play in the biggest stage possible.

Here, we look at the former Indian Super League (ISL) players who can feature in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Duckens Nazon (Haiti)

Not many ISL fans might even actually remember the presence of Duckens Nazon. However, he had taken a taste at Indian football for the 2016 edition of the Indian Super League, when Kerala Blasters were able to convince the Haitian forward to join them to strengthen their frontline.

Nazon was only around 22 when he joined Kerala Blasters in 2016, having played for French club Lorient II and Olympique Saint-Quentin before his move to Indian football. Duckens had a tough start to his career with Kerala Blasters, being used in a variety of different positions in the frontline and failing to score a goal in his first eight appearances for them.

However, the Haitian forward scored a goal in a key 2-1 win over FC Pune City, helping the Tuskers earn their qualification into the ISL playoffs. Nazon produced some impressive performances in the ISL playoffs, scoring a crucial goal against Delhi Dynamos in the second leg of the playoffs and helping his side reach the ISL final.

Nazon also featured in the 2016 ISL final between Kerala Blasters and Atletico de Kolkata but failed to get amongst the goals and saw his side suffer a loss in the final. Soon afterwards, he left Kerala Blasters and moved to England – spending a short period with the reserves of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 31-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman in his career, playing for 13 different clubs in his career, and he’s currently playing for Esteghlal in the Iranian top division. However, Nazon has been a revelation for the Haitian national football team since he started playing for them in 2014.

He has scored 44 goals in 78 appearances for Haiti, which included four goals in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign – where he helped his side earn qualification into the World Cup.

Nazon is now poised to make his World Cup debut for Haiti in the upcoming edition and will be a representative of the Indian Super League as well!

Ivan Kalyuzhny (Ukraine)

Ivan Kalyuzhnyi, the Ukrainian international who once played for Kerala Blasters FC could be on the brink of a remarkable milestone as he and Ukraine push for a place in the FIFA WC 2026.

During his time with KBFC, Ivan quickly won over fans in Kochi with his tireless work rate, sharp passing and ability to arrive late in the box. He ended his stint in India with 4 goals in 18 appearances, leaving a strong impression despite spending just one season in yellow. That spell proved to be an important chapter in his career, helping him gain confidence and wider recognition.

Since returning to Ukraine, Ivan’s steady club performances have been rewarded on the international stage. In October 2024, he earned his first senior call-up for Ukraine and has not looked back, regularly featuring for the Ukraine National team.

Ukraine finished second in their qualifying group, just behind France, progressing to the next round where they will face the likes of Sweden, Poland, and Albania, searching for the ticket to FIFA WC 2026.

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