As the group stage of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup heats up this week, players with astronomical market values are set to take the field.
According to the football transfer market site Transfermarkt, the market values of the participating national teams are as follows: France is valued at €1.52 billion, England at €1.36 billion, Spain at €1.22 billion, and Portugal at €1.01 billion. Argentina is valued at €807.5 million.
The most expensive match will be the France-Senegal game, scheduled for June 17 at 4 a.m. KST. Combining France's market value of €1.52 billion with Senegal's €478.1 million brings the total to €1.9981 billion. Based on the European Central Bank's exchange rate of €1 = 1,758.43 won as of June 12, 2026, this amounts to approximately 3.51 trillion won.
Another notable match is the England-Croatia game on June 18 at 5 a.m. KST. England's market value is €1.36 billion, while Croatia's is €387.3 million. Together, they total €1.7473 billion, roughly equivalent to 3.07 trillion won.
The Spain-Cabo Verde match on June 16 at 1 a.m. KST shows an even more pronounced disparity. Spain's team is valued at €1.22 billion, while Cabo Verde is valued at just €54.5 million. Their combined value is €1.2745 billion, or about 2.24 trillion won. The significant difference in valuations is striking, with Spain's team worth more than 22 times that of Cabo Verde.
The Portugal-DR Congo match on June 18 at 2 a.m. KST also features a large valuation gap. Portugal is valued at €1.01 billion, while DR Congo is at €143.9 million. Their combined market value is €1.1539 billion, approximately 2.03 trillion won.
The Argentina-Algeria match on June 17 at 10 a.m. KST has a combined market value of €1.0644 billion, or about 1.87 trillion won, with Argentina valued at €807.5 million and Algeria at €256.9 million.
However, it is important to note that Transfermarkt's market values are estimates based on factors such as player age, club affiliation, contract status, performance, and potential, and do not necessarily reflect actual transfer fees or national economic strength.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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