The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup ramps up a notch now with the official Fantasy game going live.
In this article, international fantasy whizz @FPLReaction will share his current first draft team for FIFA World Cup Fantasy 2026.
He discusses some of the key players catching his eye, the nations he’s targeting early on and the initial strategy he’s considering for the group stage.
Of course, this is only an early draft, and plenty could still change before the deadline with friendlies, injuries and confirmed line-ups all still to come. But for now, this is where his thinking currently stands ahead of the tournament start.
- READ MORE: FIFA World Cup Fantasy 2026: 150 of the best, worst + funniest team names
- READ MORE: How to play the FIFA World Cup Fantasy 2026 game
EARLY THOUGHTS ON BOOSTER/CHIP STRATEGY
I could talk at length about chip (or ‘booster’) strategy but my initial thought is that there does seem to be a standout path to take, although there are alternative approaches.
My thinking, as with all international Fantasy games, is that the best time to use chips is in the group stage. This is down to the fact that the best teams face the worst teams, thus offering more value from the chips.
My provisional plan for the tournament ahead is to use:
- 12th Man in Round 1
- Max Captain in Round 2
- Wildcard in Round 3.
Ultimately, I think rotation in the third round dictates a Wildcard in Round 3, although I will continue to weigh up the pros and cons of Wildcarding in Round 2, also.
With that in mind, most of the players I have included in my first draft have two good fixtures early on.
FPL REACTIONS’ FIRST WORLD CUP FANTASY DRAFT
