To predict the World Cup, we need data on every player who might take the field. Here's how we identify, collect, and structure player-level data for all 48 qualified nations.
Behind the scenes
Building the player database
Summary + sample · full document is 1,140 words
Summary
Sample
Universe definition
Candidate-player pool. Anyone who has been called up to a senior national team for a WC2026-qualified nation in the last 24 months. This is a superset of the eventual 26-man squads (released ~June 2026) and lets us pre-build features before final squad announcements. Rough size: 48 nations × ~50 candidates ≈ 2,400 players.
Out of scope. U-21/U-23 selections (unless a player has also been in a senior call-up); youth-academy players; players uncapped at senior level; retired internationals.
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