Our position-by-position analysis of the Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 game continues as we profile the heavy hitters in midfield.
We’re looking at options costing $7.5m or more in this article.
You can access the other price brackets and positions via this link:
BRUNO FERNANDES ($8.5m)
Fernandes is the most popular midfielder in Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026, currently sitting in 50.3% of squads:
Before we get onto what the playmaker is capable of, we should first mention Portugal’s fixtures.
They have two favourable matches to kick off their World Cup campaign, facing DR Congo and Uzbekistan, who are ranked 45th and 50th in the FIFA rankings respectively.
But on top of the fixtures, Fernandes’ total number of key passes (21) in qualifying was nearly double that of his nearest teammate.
Remember, for every two chances created in a match at the World Cup, midfielders will bank an extra point.
He also had his shooting boots on, with three goals in five appearances.
Add in the possibility of the free-kick bonus, plus his reliability of starts, and suddenly $8.5m feels very reasonable.
The only drawback we can think of: Fernandes may have to relinquish penalty duties to Cristiano Ronaldo ($10.0m).
If Rafael Leao ($7.8m) doesn’t get suspended, he will become another Portugal option in midfield. However, it would be preferable to own him alongside Fernandes, rather than in place of.
MICHAEL OLISE ($9.5m)
Olise is likely to be the third most-owned midfielder for Round 1, and for good reason.
The Bayern Munich winger scored his first international hat-trick earlier this week, in a 3-1 win against Northern Ireland.
“Michael is amazing. You can see it, he’s really confident right now. He’s decisive and clinical. For an offensive player, he’s making the efforts to defend as well. We’ll definitely need Michael at this level…” – Didier Deschamps on Michael Olise
Olise, who produced 22 goals and 31 assists for Bayern across all competitions last season, is on set plays for his country.
He also provided much of France’s creativity in qualifying, delivering 22 key passes.
With Senegal up first, it admittedly isn’t the easiest of starts for Didier Deschamps’ men, but with the questionable defence of Iraq in Round 2, you’ll probably want him in place for that match.
Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m) and Desire Doue ($7.5m) are alternative midfield options for France, given their quality. They are, however, perhaps likelier to be subbed off before Olise in the early rounds.
RAPHINHA ($8.2m) / VINICIUS JUNIOR ($10.0m)
Raphinha and Vinicius Jnr are the standout attackers for Brazil.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have one of the easiest groups on paper, but the toughest test does come in Round 1, when they face Morocco, who reached the last four of the 2022 World Cup.
The Atlas Lions ‘officially’ won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January, too.
Following this, however, they will encounter Haiti and Scotland, which certainly supports the case to ‘set and forget’ a Brazil midfielder in your squad, or at the very least, have a plan to incorporate one or two of them ahead of Round 2.
Raphinha was Brazil’s top scorer in qualifying, with five goals, including three penalties.
The Barcelona winger also led the way for shots (33) and key passes (28), the latter aided by his involvement in set plays.
Above: Brazil players sorted by combined non-penalty shots and key passes in qualifying
Raphinha also enjoys the advantage of taking penalties, so it’s hard to look past him as the superior option.
That said, Vinicius Jnr is an intriguing alternative, having racked up the highest non-penalty expected goals (NPxG) tally in qualifying (3.4).
Against Haiti, a midfield double-up might even pay off.
FLORIAN WIRTZ ($7.5m) / JAMAL MUSIALA ($8.0m)
Wirtz looks to be a superb option for Round 1.
He produced three attacking returns (one goal, two assists) in six qualifying matches, leading the way among teammates for shots (16) and key passes (21).
He recently added a goal in the 4-0 friendly win over Finland, too.
As one of Germany’s primary set-piece takers, Wirtz is probably the safer pick over Musiala, who is $0.5m pricier.
Musiala has had a somewhat mixed 2025/26 campaign at Bayern Munich, partly due to injuries. He has played a total of 170 minutes in Germany’s two World Cup warm-ups, yet there is still some doubt about his match sharpness.
Nonetheless, Musiala was Germany’s standout player in the 2022 World Cup.
And let’s face it, he probably won’t even need to perform at his peak level to deliver an attacking return against tournament minnows Curacao.
After Round 1, it gets much trickier for Germany, with fixtures against the Ivory Coast and Ecuador. As a result, it may be wise to consider an exit strategy if you do opt for Wirtz and/or Musiala.
LUIS DIAZ ($8.1m)
Diaz enjoyed a stellar season at Bayern Munich, with 26 goals and 23 assists in 51 matches across all competitions.
He was equally influential in qualifying for Colombia, too.
The former Liverpool winger netted seven goals and recorded a total of 55 shots, which was by far the most of any teammate.
Diaz also chipped in with three assists.
With an ownership rate of 18.7%, this explains his popularity in World Cup Fantasy.
Crucially, Colombia’s most favourable fixtures are up first, against Uzbekistan and DR Congo. It’s no surprise that Nestor Lorenzo’s squad are the clear favourites in both matches.
Diaz is subsequently a very solid pick for those on a Round 3 Wildcard strategy.
OTHERS
- Federico Valverde (£7.5m): The Real Madrid midfielder enjoyed a fine 2025/26 season, with nine goals and 13 assists across all club competitions. On top of his likely set-piece duties, Valverde might even be on penalties for Uruguay.
- Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m) / Jeremy Doku ($7.5m): De Bruyne racked up six goals in qualification and remains a key part of Rudi Garcia’s tactical approach. Pulling the strings from midfield, he should also take plenty of set-pieces this summer. As for Doku, he offers a constant threat down the flanks, having produced the most shots (27) and key passes (26) for Belgium in qualification. Both players have the potential to qualify for the Chance Creation bonus.
- Martin Odegaard ($7.7m): An under-the-radar option (4.4% ownership), the Arsenal playmaker supplied seven attacking returns in qualifying (one goal, six assists). Norway face off against Iraq in Round 1.
- Pedri ($8.1m): With fitness/minute concerns over wingers Lamine Yamal ($10.0m) and Neco Williams ($7.8m) in Round 1, Pedri is arguably the safest Spain midfielder to start with. He is nailed for minutes and scored in Tuesday’s 3-1 friendly win over Peru. Luis De La Fuente’s men face Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Rounds 1 and 2. As for Yamal, as soon as he’s ready to start, he instantly becomes one of the best options in the game.
- Bukayo Saka ($9.5m): With uncertainty over who starts in the No 10 role for England, Saka is an option to consider. He was arguably England’s best player at the 2022 World Cup, although with Croatia up first, he could perhaps wait until Rounds 2 or 3.
- Sadio Mane ($7.6m): Senegal face France and Norway first. However, Sane could be a tasty option for Round 3, when he faces off against Iraq.
- Enzo Fernandez ($7.5m): The Chelsea midfielder produced two goals and also sat joint-top among teammates for assists (three) in qualifying. However, like England and Senegal, Argentina’s most favourable fixture isn’t until Round 3 (v Jordan), so he’s perhaps one to keep in mind for later.
