Whether investing heavily in proven superstars or searching for hidden gems capable of delivering a return on a modest budget, selecting the right forwards could prove decisive for managers in .
From world champions and record breakers to emerging stars and tournament debutants, here are nine forwards who could reward Fantasy managers at the.
captain arrives at the World Cup in extraordinary form. Kane has just completed the most prolific goalscoring season of his career, netting 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich as the German giants secured a domestic double. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker is England's all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals and continues to be the focal point of everything the Three Lions do in attack. With Thomas Tuchel’s side widely expected to progress deep into the tournament, Kane - winner of the - offers about as close to guaranteed goals as can be found among the tournament’s forwards.
There is little mystery about where Norway's goals are likely to come from in Canada, Mexico and the United States. comfortably finished as Europe's leading scorer in qualifying with 16 goals and is one of the most feared strikers in global football ahead of his debut World Cup. The Manchester City forward has already scored more than 50 international goals despite still being only 25 years old, while his club record speaks for itself; Haaland just won his third Premier League Golden Boot in four years, becoming only the fourth player to achieve the feat three times. At the World Cup, Norway face a challenging group containing France, Iraq and Senegal. But Haaland is a player used to breaking through the world’s best defences and if Norway reach the World Cup knockout stages, it will likely be Haaland who helped propel them there.
Already a FIFA World Cup winner with and the scorer of a sensational hat-trick in the final, has repeatedly delivered on football's biggest stage. The French talisman enters the tournament after another outstanding goalscoring campaign for Real Madrid - bagging 42 goals in 44 appearances, with his 15 UEFA Champions League strikes securing him the competition’s Golden Boot award for 2025-26. Blessed with explosive pace, ruthless finishing and penalty-taking duties for France, Mbappe seems on paper like one of the safest premium picks available; if Les Bleus embark on another run to the latter stages, Mbappe will surely play a leading role again.
While Lionel Messi will likely find a home in many World Cup Fantasy teams, those seeking attacking coverage from at a lower price point should take a close look at . At the 2022 World Cup, Alvarez scored three and set up another but four years on, he is a better goalscorer and a more complete player. The ex-Manchester City striker contributed four goals and two assists during qualifying, including the winner away to Chile, while at club level he scored in every Champions League knockout stage this season for Atletico Madrid - netting seven goals across eight games. With Argentina among the favourites to lift the trophy again, 2022 World Cup winner Alvarez could prove one of the game's standout value selections.
Few forwards at the 2026 World Cup boast stronger qualifying form than Ueda, who finished as leading scorer with eight goals as they became the first nation outside the hosts to secure qualification for the tournament. Japan scored 54 goals and conceded only three throughout qualifying, underlining the strong foundation from which Ueda can operate in North America. The Feyenoord striker was top scorer this past season in the Netherlands, scoring 25 Eredivisie goals, and if Japan can at least match their previous best World Cup run and reach the Round of 16, then Ueda seemingly represents superb value.
all-time leading scorer enters a home World Cup carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. Jonathan David is now well established as his team’s leading forward and with an international record of a goal every other game, the Juventus striker is one of the most reliable finishers to ever emerge from Concacaf. After several prolific seasons in Ligue 1 with Lille, David found goals a little harder to come by this season in Italy. But when Canada has come calling, David has frequently delivered; at the Copa America 2024, he scored important goals against Peru and Uruguay. Now he will with genuine ambitions of reaching the knockout rounds on home soil and at $7m, he offers a compelling blend of pedigree and value.
The inspirational captain of has been one of Asia's most influential attacking players for several years and remains the creative heartbeat of the reigning continental champions. While he was outscored in qualifying by team-mate Almoez Ali, the two-time AFC Asian Footballer of the Year registered 12 assists - the most of any player in AFC qualifying - as Qatar advanced to the World Cup for the first time. The 2022 hosts are wiser and more experienced than four years ago, having also added a second AFC Asian Cup title since then. Afif was the undeniable star of that tournament - scoring a hat-trick in the final - and he brings that same threat, both from set pieces and in open play, to the 2026 World Cup.
With unquestionable World Cup pedigree and an appealing group stage fixture against debutants Curaçao, captain Valencia seemingly offers Fantasy managers an excellent alternative to more expensive forwards. Valencia has an impressive World Cup record of six goals in six matches - scoring three in each of the 2014 and 2022 tournaments. Should the Pachuca striker emulate that total again in 2026, he would move past a host of legendary players - including the likes of Diego Maradona, Rivaldo and Rudi Voller, who have all scored eight World Cup goals. Ecuador's all-time leading scorer may be 36 years old, but his eye for a goal has shown no signs of diminishing, with Valencia’s match-winning strikers against Peru, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina helping El Tri finish second in CONMEBOL qualifying.
A first ever FIFA World Cup appearance has been years in the making for and Olwan played a vital role in his nation’s milestone achievement. The 26-year-old striker has scored 13 goals in his past 15 games for Jordan, netting nine times in AFC qualifying, and in his most recent tournament outing - the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup - Olwan bagged six in six matches, including a brace in the narrow 3-2 defeat to Morocco in the final. While a Group J clash with reigning champions Argentina at the World Cup may appear a little intimidating, Jordan’s other opponents - Austria and Algeria - offer more realistic chances of a result. Among the cheapest forwards available in World Cup Fantasy, Olwan represents an intriguing budget option for managers seeking value.
Sources: FIFA Official
