Former Lincoln City Players Could Take Part in This Summer’s World Cup

Some former Imps could be in action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will evoke some proud feelings around Sincil Bank.

Players who have previously pulled on the red and white shirt of Lincoln City could follow in the footsteps of the likes of legend Tony Woodcock, who went all the way from Sincil Bank to being a European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest, while also earning more than 40 caps for England, including appearing at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer tournament, which is jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, there are a few more former Imps who could step onto the biggest football stage of all, with one in particular potentially appearing for a leading contender, England.

The debate over who will win the tournament is already a hot topic for bettors. Plenty of punters have started picking apart stats and recent form, as well as searching for the best betting tips World Cup coverage to shape their wagers. They’re also taking a close look at the players set to represent their countries at the tournament.

In anticipation of the next edition of the FIFA World Cup, which will incidentally be the biggest ever, here are five former Lincoln players who could be heading over to North America to play in it.

Morgan Rogers (England)

The Aston Villa attacking midfielder has already made a name for himself in an England shirt. Rogers’ career has seen a meteoric rise in the last year or so, and there’s been plenty of talk about him potentially getting into the starting eleven for the Three Lions at the World Cup. At the very least, he should be on the plane with Thomas Tuchel and his squad. Rogers’ time with Lincoln will be fondly remembered, as that’s where his physical presence and technical ability were first on show in the middle of the pitch, as he was influential in helping the Imps reach the League One 2020/21 playoff Final in League One.

Brennan Jonhson (Wales)

Johnson was also part of that epic 2020/21 campaign for the Imps and has also reached the top tier of the game, having represented Wales at the 2022 World Cup. After getting a new lease of life following a transfer to Crystal Palace from Spurs, the winger will be hoping that’s enough to get him to the World Cup, if Wales manage to get through the qualification Play-off route. Johnson may only have been a loan player at Sincil Bank, but he made a huge impact there. He scored his first career hat-trick while on loan with the club and netted in the League One play-off semi-finals.

Dexter Lembikisa (Jamaica)

Another good young player who, albeit briefly, wore the Lincoln shirt, and the young defender could be at the FIFA World Cup if things go right for his nation. Like Wales, Jamaica can now only reach the tournament through the Play-offs, where they will face New Caledonia in the semi-finals in March 2026. Lembikisa, whose parent club is Wolves, only made five appearances in his few months on loan at Sincil Bank, but he’s a full international with more than 30 caps.

Sean Roughan (Republic of Ireland)

The sturdy young defender left a good impression at Sincil Bank. Coming up from the youth system at the club, he became a reliable fixture in the back line for the Imps. After moving up from the Lincoln Academy, Roughan made his debut in a 2020 EFL Cup tie and, less than a week later, his league debut for Lincoln. Roughan would, in total, make almost 150 appearances for the Imps.

He’s moved on to Huddersfield and could knock on the door of a place in Ireland’s World Cup squad if they make it there. The Irish, too, are in the Play-offs, and Roughan would have a lot to do to force his way into their plans, but the potential’s there.

Regan Poole (Wales)

Another former Imp who could yet make it to this year’s World Cup is Regan Poole, who was once signed by Man Utd and had a trial at Liverpool. He arrived at Lincoln City in 2021, signing a multi-year contract and would make over a century of appearances for the club.

Such an impactful and popular figure he was at Sincil Bank, at the end of the 2021-22 season, Poole was named Lincoln City’s Player and Player’s Player of the Season. Unfortunately, the Imps couldn’t hold on to him, and he moved to Portsmouth in 2023, the same year he made his senior debut for Wales.