This article looks at the connection between the Socceroos squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Australian A-League where the Socceroos have played a combined 1438 games, many of them as young players. Nestory Irankunda, Patrick Beach, Paul Okon-Engstler and Luca Herrington are among those locally developed players. New Zealand also has players in the A-League and two clubs in Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix.