Scottish Premiership players are making their mark at World Cup 2026 — and the football world is finally paying attention. Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Daizen Maeda (Celtic) and Elijah Just have all acquitted themselves well on the biggest stage, according to BBC Sport Scotland. After years of being dismissed as a physical backwater, Scotland’s top flight may be shedding its bargain-basement reputation. For English clubs used to raiding it on the cheap, the window could be closing.
The Scottish Premiership Players Impressing at World Cup 2026
Nicolas Raskin, Daizen Maeda and Elijah Just are the Scottish Premiership players who have acquitted themselves well at World Cup 2026, per BBC Sport Scotland. The Rangers midfielder (Belgium), Celtic forward (Japan) and New Zealand winger are proving that Scotland’s top flight produces footballers who belong at international level.
That matters commercially as much as it does on the pitch. A strong World Cup adds millions to any player’s valuation — and when three players from the same supposedly ‘lesser’ league deliver simultaneously, the entire league’s price tag gets marked up with them.
Why Scottish Football Has Been Undervalued for So Long
Scottish fans have long felt short-changed, sensing a snobbery from outside that saw their star players undervalued and sold too cheaply, as BBC Sport Scotland notes. The stereotype stuck for decades: a physical league, technically limited, with real quality confined to Celtic and Rangers.
That narrative is now under pressure. A gripping title fight attracted global attention this season, and World Cup 2026 is serving as the final exam — one that Scottish-based players are passing in front of the world’s scouts.
What It Means for English Clubs and the Transfer Market
For Premier League and Championship clubs, the Scottish Premiership has traditionally been a bargain aisle: proven, battle-hardened players available for a fraction of English prices. The pipeline south is well established, but the era of picking up Scottish-based talent on the cheap may be ending.
Raskin’s trajectory shows why. A Belgian midfielder who rebuilt his career at Ibrox is now performing at a World Cup — exactly the kind of player who would have cost triple from a Championship club. If sporting directors in England wait for the tournament to finish, they will be paying post-World Cup prices.
There is a flip side for selling clubs too: Celtic and Rangers finally have leverage. Every strong Scottish Premiership performance at World Cup 2026 strengthens their negotiating hand in the next window.
The Bigger Picture for England and the 48-Team World Cup
The expanded 48-team format at World Cup 2026 has given players from leagues outside Europe’s big five a bigger stage than ever, and the Scottish Premiership is one of the clear beneficiaries. Japan and New Zealand both brought Scottish-based players who have delivered.
For Thomas Tuchel’s England, competing in Group L, it is a reminder that dangerous opponents are no longer built exclusively in the Premier League, La Liga or the Bundesliga. Underestimating a player because of the badge on his club shirt is precisely the kind of complacency that gets favourites punished at World Cups.
FAQ
Which Scottish Premiership players are at World Cup 2026?
According to BBC Sport Scotland, Nicolas Raskin (Rangers, Belgium), Daizen Maeda (Celtic, Japan) and Elijah Just (New Zealand) are among the Scottish Premiership players who have acquitted themselves well at World Cup 2026.
Why has the Scottish Premiership been undervalued?
Scottish fans have long detected a snobbery from bigger leagues, which labelled the division physical and technically limited. As a result, star players were routinely sold too early and too cheaply, below their true market value.
What is changing the perception of Scottish football?
Two things: a gripping Scottish title fight that attracted global attention this season, and strong performances by Scottish Premiership players at World Cup 2026, which act as an international shop window for the league’s real standard.
Will Scottish Premiership transfer fees rise after World Cup 2026?
Very likely. Strong World Cup showings typically inflate player valuations, and clubs like Celtic and Rangers now have far more negotiating leverage. English clubs hoping for traditional bargain prices may need to move before the market adjusts.
Who is Nicolas Raskin?
Nicolas Raskin is a Belgian midfielder at Rangers, formerly of Standard Liège. He established himself in the Scottish Premiership before becoming a Belgium international and featuring at World Cup 2026.
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