World Cup 2026 fantasy football: 54 players and hidden gems to target

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The Independent

·8 giugno 2026

World Cup 2026 fantasy football: 54 players and hidden gems to target

A 48-team tournament means the World Cup’s fantasy football game is bigger than ever, with over 1,200 players available for selection before the group phase.

Does that mean almost everyone will still have at least two of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in their line-ups? Yes, yes it does - but it will take more than that to build a winning 15-man squad.

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Players of the Premier League’s increasing popular fantasy football game (FPL) will be familiar with Fifa’s format for the World Cup - but there are some twists to be aware of, too.

Those include a couple of new chips (such as ‘12th man’ and ‘maximum captain’) and the ability to substitute players from your bench into your line-up during a round of matches.

Furthermore, unlimited transfers will be available following the group phase, so you should spend your initial $100m without thinking too far ahead just yet.

Top tier

Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe (all £10.5m) are the most expensive players in the game but all three are also contenders for the golden boot. Kane is a must, while Haaland could be swapped out for Mbappe after the group stages.

Spain’s excellent fixtures makes Mikel Oyarzabal ($8.1m) a cheaper alternative and Unai Simon ($5m) the best pick at goalkeeper, if he starts ahead of David Raya, but Lamine Yamal ($10m) is a fitness doubt for their opening game against Cape Verde. Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) appears too cheap to pass up.

In defence, attacking full-backs Achraf Hakimi ($6m), Nuno Mendes ($5.8m) and Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) are expensive but they all carry goal threat and clean-sheet potential. Brazil and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes ($5.5m) is a set-piece monster and Joshua Kimmich ($5.5m) is a playmaker for Germany from right back.

Goalkeeper

Unai Simon - Spain ($5m)

Thibaut Courtois - Belgium ($4.9m)

Jordan Pickford - England ($4.8m)

Defenders

Achraf Hakimi - Morocco ($6m)

Nuno Mendes - Portugal ($5.8m)

Denzel Dumfries - Netherlands ($5.7m)

Gabriel Magalhaes - Brazil ($5.5m)

Joshua Kimmich - Germany ($5.5m)

Midfielders

Lamine Yamal - Spain ($10m)

Bukayo Saka - England ($9.5m)

Michael Olise - France ($9.5m)

Bruno Fernandes - Portugal ($8.5m)

Luis Diaz - Colombia ($8.1m)

Forwards

Harry Kane - England ($10.5m)

Kylian Mbappe - France ($10.5m)

Erling Haaland - Norway ($10.5m)

Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal ($10m)

Mikel Oyarzabal - Spain ($8.1m)

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Haaland, Kane or Mbappe? (Getty)

Mid tier

If you’ve spent heavily on forwards, you can get some good value back on goal-scoring midfielders. Turkey’s Arda Guler ($7m), Morocco’s Brahim Diaz ($6.4m), Scotland’s Scott McTominay ($6.5m) and Belgium’s Jeremy Doku ($7.5m) are pivotal to their teams and could produce a moment of magic in a low-scoring game.

Marc Cucurella ($5.1m) is the cheapest starting Spain defender so will be popular, while Japan’s Ritsu Doan ($5.1m), England’s Nico O'Reilly ($4.7m) and Colombia’s Daniel Munoz ($4.6m), in different ways, all love to attack from full or wing-back. Mexico’s captain Cesar Montes ($4.7m) is a threat from set-pieces.

Ecuador’s solid defence makes goalkeeper Hernan Galindez ($4.2m) a fine mid-tier option while Iran striker Mehdi Taremi ($6.1m) is excellent value in an open group. Germany could win big against Curacao, bringing Kai Havertz ($7.8m) into play.

Goalkeeper

Yassine Bounou - Morocco ($4.7m)

Hernan Galindez - Ecuador ($4.2m)

Sergio Rochet - Uruguay ($4.1m)

Defenders

Marc Cucurella - Spain ($5.1m)

Ritsu Doan - Japan ($5.1m)

Nico O'Reilly - England($4.7m)

Cesar Montes - Mexico (£4.7m)

Daniel Munoz - Colombia ($4.6m)

Midfielders

Jeremy Doku - Belgium ($7.5m)

Arda Guler - Turkey ($7m)

Declan Rice - England ($7m)

Scott McTominay - Scotland ($6.5m)

Brahim Diaz - Morocco ($6.4m)

Forwards

Kai Havertz - Germany ($7.8m)

Son Heung-min - South Korea ($7.4m)

Matheus Cunha - Brazil ($7.3m)

Antoine Semenyo - Ghana ($7.2m)

Mehdi Taremi - Iran ($6.1m)

open image in gallery

Could Kai Havertz score big in the group stages? (Getty)

Value tier

Ecuador are unbeaten in 19 games, conceding just six goals, so their Champions League-winning centre-back William Pacho ($4.4m) looks a steal in defence. If fit, Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui is also a good budget option, particularly when the former semi-finalists play Scotland and Haiti. Sergino Dest (£4.3m) plays an advanced role for hosts USA while Jan Paul Van Hecke ($4.3m) is the cheapest part of a star-studded back four for the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, several starting goalkeepers will be available for less than $4m, such as Mexico’s Raul Rangel ($3.9m), New Zealand’s Max Crocombe ($3.9m) and Scotland’s Angus Gunn ($3.6m). Further forward, Keito Nakamura ($5.5m) is the other half of Japan’s attack-minded wing-back system and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s young winger Esmir Bajraktarevic ($4.7m) is likely to start and could be a breakout talent.

Goalkeeper

Raul Rangel - Mexico ($3.9m)

Max Crocombe - New Zealand ($3.9m)

Angus Gunn - Scotland ($3.6m)

Defenders

Noussair Mazraoui - Morocco ($4.5m)

William Pacho - Ecuador ($4.4m)

Sergino Dest - USA (£4.3m)

Julian Ryerson - Norway ($4.2m)

Jan Paul Van Hecke - Netherlands ($4.3m)

Midfielders

Keito Nakamura - Japan ($5.5m)