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We are fast approaching the round of 16 in World Cup Fantasy, where things get even more interesting and evenly matched.

Although the round of 32 is still ongoing, we can already pick out a few teams who look to have good fixtures for the next round (deadline July 4 at 6pm UK time/1pm ET) and also have easier paths ahead of them than others.

Finding the right balance between premium assets and low-owned differentials is likely to be the key to climbing the rankings, especially with scouting bonuses still available on selected players.

While several ties will be evenly matched, some nations stand out as having particularly appealing fixtures in the round of 16.

Also, the dynamics change slightly as we are now able to own four players from the same country rather than three.

Here’s a closer look at the players that fantasy managers should be targeting.

France

France have looked unstoppable thus far and look to be the clear favourites to win the World Cup.

After brushing aside Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32, they now face Paraguay, which is one of the most favourable draws they could have got.

From a fantasy perspective, it’s difficult to ignore the sheer quality throughout Didier Deschamps’ squad.

The essential picks

Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) and Michael Olise ($9.5m) have not only been the star players for France but arguably the whole tournament.

Mbappe remains the focal point of almost every World Cup Fantasy attack and already has six goals to his name. He will no doubt be eyeing the golden boot. Meanwhile, Olise currently has the most assists (five), is nailed to start and is on set pieces.

At this point these two are completely essential and if you do not own them, they should be your top priorities.

France’s Michael Olise has five assists in World Cup Fantasy already (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The differentials

Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m) is the next-best option in attack and you can choose to pair him up with another attacker.

Bradley Barcola ($8.0m) and Desire Doue ($7.5m) are both below five per cent ownership, so qualify for the scouting bonus as things stand.

There is a bit of uncertainty as they can both start on the left, so it is a risk going with either of them, but they do have a lot of upside.

You can also choose to go for one or two of France’s defenders as they have good clean-sheet odds — 60 per cent, according to market odds.

Dayot Upamecano ($5.3m) and Jules Kounde ($5.4m) look the safest bets as they have started every game so far.

Morocco

If there has been one team that can cause an upset at this World Cup, it’s Morocco.

After impressive performances against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti during the group stage, and a dramatic penalty shoot-out win versus the Netherlands, they now have a favourable tie against Canada.

Defensively, they remain extremely well organised, while their confidence in possession has grown with every match.

For fantasy managers, that creates opportunities at both ends of the pitch.

The essential picks

Few defenders possess the fantasy appeal of Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m) and it’s no surprise that he is the most expensive defender in the game.

Morocco already boast one of the strongest clean-sheet probabilities in the round of 16 fixtures with 41 per cent against Canada, but Hakimi’s appeal extends well beyond defensive returns.

The Paris Saint-Germain full-back regularly finds himself in advanced positions and has already registered a goal and an assist.

The differentials

Ismael Saibari ($6.8m) has three goals this tournament and has quietly become one of the breakout stars of this World Cup.

Despite being classified as a midfielder, he continues to operate in advanced attacking positions, being played mostly as Morocco’s No 9. His ownership remains low at only at 10.9 per cent at the time of writing.

Brahim Diaz ($6.4m) is not only cheap but he still qualifies for the scouting bonus with only three per cent ownership. He is also likely the first-choice penalty taker.

England

England’s win over DR Congo means they play Mexico in the round of 16.

Although this is a tricky game on paper, up against the co-hosts in their own backyard, England will still be the favourites.

Fantasy-wise, they have great options at both ends of the pitch.

The essential picks

Harry Kane ($10.5m) and Jude Bellingham ($8.3m) are by far the best options in attack. Both are nailed to start and have so far been the ones involved in the goals in one way or another.

Kane’s brace against DR Congo means he has netted five and Bellingham has two goals and an assist. The former is also on penalties.

When we reach the knockout stages, we also need to look at players who will not only play the full 90 but, if needed, extra time too. Kane and Bellingham are very likely to be the ones in attack who play the full match.

The differentials

The defence is where I would look next for England. Although they haven’t looked their best at the back, they do still have one of the strongest defences in the tournament.

Best defences so far (least xG conceded):

🥇 Spain – 0.36(xG)
🥈 Argentina – 0.92(xG)
🥉 England – 1.01(xG)

— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) June 29, 2026

Ezri Konsa ($4.8m) and Nico O’Reilly ($4.7m) look pretty nailed in their respective positions and are both under 12 per cent owned.

A double-up defence for Thomas Tuchel’s side could be a shrewd move.

England’s Nico O’Reilly is a defender that offers goal threat (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Argentina

Argentina have put themselves in an excellent position heading into the knockout stages.

Their round-of-32 clash against Cape Verde (kick-off 11pm UK time/6pm ET on Friday) is one they will be expected to win comfortably, but more importantly, victory would set up a round-of-16 meeting with either Australia or Egypt.

On paper, that is one of the kindest pathways to the quarter-finals of any team left in the competition.

The essential picks

Lionel Messi ($10.0m) is an essential pick and should no doubt be the your number transfer target if you do not own him.

He already has six goals before he plays Cape Verde and the next fixture, if Argentina get the job done, means he is very likely to add to that tally.

Emiliano Martinez ($5.0m) is the safest route into Argentina’s defence, which has been pretty solid so far with only one goal conceded and two clean sheets.

If they make it to the round of 16, they are likely to have among the highest clean-sheet odds no matter the fixture.

The differentials

Enzo Fernandez ($7.5m) could be a fine differential — he is nailed to start and should play the full game, even if it goes deep into extra time. He hasn’t registered any goals or assists yet but, as we know from Fantasy Premier League, he has attacking returns in him and takes set pieces.

He is also 2.7 per cent owned at the time of writing, so also qualifies for the scouting bonus.

I would also look to own at least one defender. Facundo Medina ($4.0m) looks insane value and is pretty nailed at left-back. Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez ($4.6m) offers much more security, although the centre-back is $0.6m more expensive.

Unfortunately they don’t qualify for scouting bonus but they are under 16 per cent owned, so still very much have differential status.

If no one else will speak up for her Atlanta Dream teammates, Angel Reese says she will.

Despite Atlanta tied atop the Eastern Conference standings at 12-8, no Dream players were selected as All-Star Game starters. Reese said the exclusion of her teammates Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, and other Dream players, was “disrespectful.”

“I expect to be disrespected,” Reese said. “For those two, though, I think they work so hard, and they put a lot of work in, and the way that they’re guarded every game and they (have to) adjust. The reason why we’re where we are is because of those two.”

All-Star Game starters were released earlier in the day Thursday by the league. The selections are determined by a weighted combination of voting categories: 50 percent by fan votes, and 25 percent from each of player votes and selected media votes. Howard ranked in the top four in media and player voting but only ninth in fan voting. Gray ranked seventh in fan voting but eighth by media and sixth by players. Reese ranked sixth across the board.

Reese listed various statistical categories in which Dream players rank among the top. Reese leads the league with 11.6 rebounds per game (11.6), and Howard leads the league with 2.5 steals per game and ranks second with 3.2 3-pointers per game. Guard Jordin Canada ranks second in the league with 2.1 steals a game.

“We’re not first in the conference by just anything,” Reese said. “For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face.”

On Wednesday, Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx), Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever) and Caitlin Clark (Fever) were announced as guard starters. Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Jessica Shepard (Wings), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries) and Natasha Howard (Lynx) were named frontcourt starters.

The Dream backcourt duo just missed the cut, having the fifth- and sixth-highest voting scores among guards. Reese was the first player out among bigs, ranking seventh among frontcourt players.

“Congrats to the ones that were nominated; they were well-deserved,” Reese said. “But it’s a very big shocker to see that none of us were starters, especially where we are as a team in the league.”

Only two teams have two players averaging at least 20 points this season: the Toronto Tempo (9-10) with Marina Mabrey (21.2) and Brittney Sykes (20.1), and the Fever (11-8) with Mitchell (21.6) and Clark (21.2). Neither of the Tempo players were named starters, while both Fever players were.

Sykes didn’t make the top 11 overall, while Mabrey was ranked No. 4 in the player rankings and No. 6 in the media rankings, but No. 12 in the fan rankings, which brought her score down.

“I haven’t really said much this year in the media, because honestly it’s been tough for me over the last two years,” Reese said. “But I feel like it was important for me to speak for my teammates that don’t necessarily speak for themselves all the time.”

Reese, who is in her third WNBA season, is playing her first season with the Dream. She’s been on an All-Star team every season, including as a rookie starter. Howard and Gray have each been All-Stars three times.

“I know the work they put in,” Reese said. “I know the reason why I’m in Atlanta is because of them. I know that the team’s success is based off those two as well.”

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The scene is a room in Paris’ La Chapelle district, to the north-east of the French capital’s city centre.

A big screen has been configured to show two World Cup games happening simultaneously on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean: France against Norway and Senegal’s must-win group finale with Iraq.

Space is at a premium. An outdoor terrace housing another six screens and a fan zone has already reached capacity, forcing many of those in attendance inside on what has been a stiflingly hot Friday when temperatures hit 40C (104F).

France is in the middle of a heatwave but enthusiasm for the World Cup, and France and Senegal in particular, cannot be dampened.

Fans in La Chapelle watch France and Senegal simultaneously (Patrick Boyland/The Athletic)

La Chapelle is known for its large African community. It was on the streets of Paris’ 18th arrondissement that many of the city’s Senegal supporters celebrated the Africa Cup of Nations final win against Morocco in January, a result that would later be overturned by the continent’s governing body, CAF.

Five months on, French fans here sing the national anthem, La Marseillaise, before kick-off in the Norway game and chant “Ousmane, Ballon d’Or” after Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele opens the scoring. Those in Senegal green or white bellow the name of their midfielder Pape Gueye after his second-half double puts them firmly on top against Iraq.

To some outsiders, the atmosphere may look curiously convivial. In Europe and North America, anti-immigration sentiment is on the rise. Polls have Jordan Bardella of the far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally) as the favourite for next year’s French presidential election. Yet at full time, those in attendance in La Chapelle celebrate a crucial Senegal win that clinches qualification for the round of 32 with just as much fervour as if it were a France victory.

Paris and the other major French cities are full of ‘binationaux’ (dual nationals). Double goalscorer Gueye was born in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil before moving to Le Havre on the north coast, while Iliman Ndiaye, who netted Senegal’s fifth, hails from Rouen in Normandy.

At least as far as this World Cup is concerned, France has become the biggest developer and exporter of talent globally.

Ninety-nine of the players selected by the 48 competing nations for this summer’s tournament were born in the country, with the Netherlands a distant second on 67.

The Senegal squad has 10 French-born players, including Paris Saint-Germain’s exciting young forward Ibrahim Mbaye, who made the switch from the France youth ranks last year. Algeria (13), Haiti (12) and DR Congo (11) have even greater French influence, while Toulouse-born Issa Diop, another former France youth international, scored the stoppage-time equaliser for Morocco before they overcame the Netherlands on penalties in the round of 32.

The legendary former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said in 2015 that he considered Brazil’s Sao Paulo to be the world’s top breeding ground for football talent. But Paris has now assumed that mantle, with 56 players born in the city representing countries at FIFA’s ongoing showcase in North America.

The wider Ile-de-France region is home to 12.5 million people and is at the centre of it all. This densely-inhabited area accounts for only two per cent of metropolitan France’s territory but is home to 19 per cent of its population, and also to large immigrant communities, particularly from the country’s former colonies across the planet.

“It’s quite an incredible pool of talent in a relatively small area,” says the French Football Federation’s technical director, Hubert Fournier. “There’s a high concentration of players with very well-structured clubs. And then everyone draws from this Ile-de-France pool because afterwards they go to other clubs; they don’t all stay in Ile-de-France.”

Fournier points to a “training system that’s been built up over decades” and investment in early grassroots levels as key reasons for France’s success. He also notes the structure of amateur clubs has “improved over many years” and that professional sides have followed suit.

“Until recently, there was just one (professional) training centre, that of Paris Saint-Germain,” he tells The Athletic. “Now there are several — there’s Red Star, there’s Paris FC, and they have organised training programmes.

“You face good players every weekend. This clash of talents raises the overall level of play in the Ile-de-France region, and it allows players to develop and improve.”

Competition between clubs and areas is fierce, raising standards and levels across the board. But Fournier, a former head coach of leading French side Lyon, also points to the “sociological” aspect of immigration.

“They’ve been exposed to different styles of football, which brings a certain creativity and produces players who are a bit different, like Riyad Mahrez (Algeria’s captain at this World Cup), (and French squad members) Rayan Cherki and Ousmane Dembele,” he says.

“The fact we’ve had this immigration for several generations means that not all young talents can play for the French national team, but because of their parents’ and grandparents’ origins, they also have the capacity to play for national teams.

“That’s why we have this number of players.”

AAS Sarcelles is meant to be closed.

Due to the late-June heatwave, the local municipality has shut all the club’s facilities other than the swimming pool.

Yet on the day of The Athletic’s visit, local kids have scrambled over the fences to play on the Stade Riyad Mahrez, the pitch bearing the name of the team’s most famous son.

Boasting 1,500 players from under-sixes up to veterans, making them France’s fourth-biggest amateur club, Sarcelles have a storied reputation when it comes to producing talent. As well as Mahrez, former France, PSG and Barcelona defender Philippe Christanval, ex-DR Congo full-back Herita Ilunga and current Cameroon international Junior Ebimbe also came through their ranks.

Scouts from across France and Europe are regulars at games here. Midfielder Aliou Traore left Sarcelles for Manchester United’s academy in 2017 and now plays for Vanspor in Turkey, while the club are also into the fifth year of a partnership with German top-flight side Hoffenheim, which enables the regular exchange of players and coaching staff.

The area on the northern outskirts of Paris is home to large immigrant communities from many of France’s former colonies, such as Algeria, Senegal, Mali and Morocco. At the end of June, Sarcelles hosted their own version of the Africa Cup of Nations, in which each community, including those from other continents, participated.

“It’s truly multicultural,” says club official Nabil Chabane. “That’s what makes the difference. It’s this diversity. It’s rich.

“We broadcast the match between France and Senegal. There were almost 1,000 people in the stands and we had to stop there for safety reasons.

“When France scored, everyone shouted. When Senegal scored, everyone shouted again. It shows that these two cultures are not separate. A real cohesion has been found. But we don’t realise it in France because then there’s politics.”

Sarcelles are heavily reliant on state funding and money from Hoffenheim. There is no scope for further expansion as it stands, with the lack of a sprinkler system seeing grass pitches become dust-bowls in the intense summer heat.

AAS Sarcelles are one of the most famous amateur clubs in France (Patrick Boyland/The Athletic)

But their development system under technical director Mohamed Coulibaly remains the envy of many. One of Coulibaly’s acts upon joining in 2012 was to hire many of the best coaches from the area. As at other French clubs, players start with five-a-side and eight-a-side games before progressing to 11-a-side at under-13 level. Staff, meanwhile, boast about “doing things with the heart”.

Football is a way of life in Paris’ ‘banlieues’ (neighbourhoods); both a pastime and a potential “social lever”, to quote Chabane.

“We always find a way to play, even if there’s a small square, a little patch of ground,” Sarcelles youth coach Ibrahim Coulibaly says. “You can play with cans, juice cartons, balloons. Even when you don’t have a ball, you find a way to play.”

Mahrez was no different.

“Riyad would play a Ligue 2 match (for Le Havre) on Friday, and then come back to Sarcelles on the weekend,” Chabane recalls. “Sometimes, even on the night of the match, he tried to come and play, but people tell him, ‘No, you just played, you should rest’. I’m not joking. He truly had that love for football.

“Even when the pitches are closed, people still come to play. Sometimes that’s what creates that difference in these areas. It’s about mindset.”

Particularly for those from Paris’ poorer banlieues, there’s a sense that football can offer a route out of difficult circumstances.

“Cities like Paris are places where football is a powerful social elevator,” says Fournier. “It’s a tool that supports both families and, very quickly, young talents. They feel that through football, they can also improve their social standing.”

Most of the best French talent ends up at Clairefontaine.

Fournier says the national federation has ‘technical advisors’ stationed in each Ile-de-France district who “conduct the initial scouting searches”. The best prospects at under-12 and under-13 levels are then called to Clairefontaine to play regional tournaments, in effect serving as final trials, before being selected for the main academy.

Youngsters stay at Clairefontaine for two years, moving to daily coaching sessions, and the idea is to prepare them for life at professional clubs. Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry both came through that system, as did Morocco’s rising-star teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

“What we do is very technical,” Fournier explains. “That’s the main focus. Then, preparing them athletically for the demands they’ll face in an academy.

“Our guiding principle is to equip them with a toolkit that is adaptable to a Spanish, English or German playing style. During their training, players should have a diverse experience that isn’t limited to just the first team’s playing style. I think this is also one of the reasons why our young talents adapt so easily when they leave the academy.”

Most of the best talent remains in the French system and goes on to represent France, but not all. Fournier describes Bouaddi’s recent decision to represent Morocco as a “significant loss” for the French federation. PSG’s Mbaye and Senegal’s Mamadou Sarr (now at Chelsea after coming through Lyon’s academy) are also deemed to have slipped through the net.

“Bouaddi is a talent we’ve followed for many years,” he says. “And we know that in his age group, there’s no other Bouaddi. It’s a significant loss for our federation. But it’s his choice.

“He went through all our selection processes. He had been with the under-21s for a year and a half. He understood that he was on the extended list. But we couldn’t offer him the opportunity to go to the World Cup right now.

“There’s fierce competition within the French national team. As the World Cup approached, it’s true that Didier (Deschamps, France’s head coach) made the decision not to include Boauddi and he preferred to go to the World Cup with Morocco. The coach felt he wasn’t quite ready yet, while Morocco offered him that opportunity. I can understand his point of view.”

Morocco made a sustained push for Bouaddi, visiting the Lille 18-year-old and his family several times. They could also offer him an early route to senior international honours, as part of an upwardly mobile side. Other players who have switched allegiance from France could tell similar stories.

“I would say that our national team is very attractive,” Fournier says. “However, we are faced with players who have difficult choices. What has changed is that, if I take the Moroccan Federation as an example, it has become very well structured; they have a training centre (the Mohammed VI Football Complex near Rabat) as good as Clairefontaine.

Ayyoub Bouaddi has become a key creative influence for Morocco after switching allegiance from France shortly before the World Cup (Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP via Getty Images)

“And above all, they and countries like Senegal have national teams that offer exposure on the international stage, allowing players to shine, because it’s a team that has reached the semi-finals of the World Cup (Morocco in 2022). Before, there was no comparison between the exposure on the international stage you could get.”

Players such as  Bouaddi, who have until their first senior call-up to decide which country they represent, are often making pragmatic career choices. But there are emotional ties too. Fournier points to a “sense of pride in representing the country of one’s father or grandfather” as another significant factor in the decision-making process.

When Bouaddi was selected for Morocco’s World Cup squad, he posted a picture on Instagram of himself at one of their games during the 2018 World Cup.

While there is disappointment within the French setup about his decision, there is no bitterness at how things have turned out.

“Now, we wish him all the best,” he says. “In any case, he remains a player trained in France and we’ll be very proud of him.”

The same goes, no doubt, for the other 98 French-born players named in squads for this summer’s tournament.

After all, there is more than enough talent to be shared around.