We’re going position by position on the Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 game, picking out the best players ahead of Round 1.
We finish our guide with a look at the best $5.0m-and-under midfielders.
You can access the other price brackets and positions via this link:
STEPHEN EUSTAQUIO ($5.0m)
Stephen Eustaquio is a composed and intelligent defensive midfielder known for his passing range, tactical awareness and ability to dictate the tempo of a game.
While not known for his goalscoring, the LAFC midfielder has an eye for a pass. Indeed, he produced an assist in Canada’s most recent friendly, a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland, and has created eight chances in his six friendly appearances for his country this season.
The former Porto man is on set-pieces, too.
The co-hosts face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar in their first two matches, before taking on Switzerland in their toughest group assignment, and set-pieces could well prove Canada’s likeliest route to goals.
JEAN-RICNER BELLEGARDE ($4.7m)
Not many managers will have players from Haiti in their squad, and not many will have Jean-Ricner Bellegarde – the 27-year-old is in 0.1% of teams at present!
Bellegarde blows hot and cold and scored only once in 26 matches of what was a miserable season for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
But the former France youth international is a quick dribbler who likes running at defenders and shooting from range, qualities that could serve him well against Scotland, Brazil and Morocco.
While Haiti will be most hopeful of getting a result against Scotland, it could be the more front-footed Brazil and Morocco who will offer Bellegarde the chance of Fantasy points on the break or from set-pieces.
In his four friendly appearances this year, he has taken 12 corners, had five shots (three of them free-kicks) and won 50% of his take-ons.
BRIAN GUTIERREZ ($5.0m)
Home advantage makes players from Mexico appealing in World Cup Fantasy, but Brian Guttierrez is more than just a recipient of a kind draw.
The 22-year-old is a technical, highly creative attacking midfielder who can play on the left, right or as a No 10. The American-born Guadalajara star is one of Mexico’s most important players, and he is in excellent form.
Gutierrez has scored twice and assisted twice in his last seven friendly appearances for his country, receiving more big chances than any teammate (five) and taking the most shots (18). He also leads the way for chances created (15) and is joint-top for big chances created (two), while being his side’s chief deliverer of corners (16 taken, four successful).
With the aerially strong Johan Vasquez ($4.7m, two goals in his last two matches) and Raul Jimenez ($7.0m) to aim at, the 1.3%-owned Gutierrez could be one of the best value midfielders in the game.
TEBOHO MOKOENA ($4.3m)
Teboho Mokoena is considered by some not only to be South Africa’s best midfielder but the best in his position on the continent.
Mokoena is a composed and commanding presence in midfield, where he is known for his selfless running and long-range shooting.
The 29-year-old was instrumental in Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League win, scoring in the second leg of the final, and weighed in with four goals during the league campaign.
Mokoena’s reputation for rising to the occasion first came to the fore when he scored a worldie of a free-kick against Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
In the three friendlies he has played in recently, Mokoena has had three shots from distance and created two chances. He has also weighed in with six tackles in his last two friendlies, which suggests tackle points (+1 for every three made) could be incoming for the Bafana Bafana captain.
HANNIBAL MEJBRI ($4.8m)
He may only be 23, but Hannibal Mejbri already has 44 caps for his country and has become something of a leader for the North African side.
Tunisia are not exactly a free-flowing attacking outfit, but they qualified for this World Cup by conceding zero goals and could be a tough nut to crack at these finals.
Unlike at Burnley, however, Mejbri has a more creative brief with Tunisia, where their dearth of attacking players has resulted in him playing in an advanced No 10 role.
In recent friendlies against Jordan, Austria and Brazil, the former Manchester United midfielder had seven shots, delivered 12 crosses and created six chances and three big chances. He also took seven corners and tried his luck with three free-kicks.
If Tunisia do manage to score at these finals, the chances are Hannibal, owned by a lowly 0.1%, could have had a hand in it.
BEN GANNON-DOAK ($4.8m)
Ben Gannon-Doak’s fledgling club career has yet to take off. After failing to break into the Liverpool team following his move from Celtic aged 16, his loan spell at Middlesbrough was curtailed by injury.
Then, after moving to Bournemouth, injury struck again, a hamstring issue suffered during Scotland’s memorable win over Denmark, reducing him to only eight appearances.
But the fit-again Gannon-Doak is coming into this World Cup fit and fresh, and has the attributes lacking in others in the Scotland side. He is lightning quick, with dazzling dribbling skills and the creativity that Scotland will need if they are to come through their matches against Morocco and Brazil.
In the first match against Haiti, Gannon-Doak could deliver. He already demonstrated his international-level quality in qualifying with goals against Greece and the assist for Scott McTominay’s ($6.5m) overhead kick against Denmark.
Perhaps more pertinently, he set up another goal in Scotland’s most recent friendly win against Bolivia, a match in which he had three shots and created four chances. Scotland are quite a workmanlike and one-paced team, but Gannon-Doak could inject the pace and end-product that Steve Clarke’s side needs to qualify for the knockout stage.
EMAM ASHOUR ($4.6m)
Emam Ashour has all the qualities required to pick up points in World Cup Fantasy. The Al-Ahly midfielder is Egypt’s No 10, blessed with the skill and vision to play through-balls and assist goals.
Ashour produced two assists at AFCON 2025, while in the four friendlies he has appeared in since, he has produced an assist and created two chances, including one big chance. If this doesn’t sound like much, that’s because he has yet to play more than 45 minutes in these matches.
After fracturing a collarbone, contracting hepatitis and then injuring his knee in the last year, he is being used sparingly ahead of the finals as he builds up match fitness. He started the last game against Brazil, but if he doesn’t get the full 90 against Belgium in the Pharaohs’ first match, he should still be considered for the next two fixtures.
Ashour has the quality to deliver the key passes for Mohamed Salah ($10.0m) and Omar Marmoush ($7.8m), so he could be considered for the easier assignments against New Zealand and Iran in Rounds 2 and 3.
