Which Man United players are worth backing at the 2026 World Cup and the betting options to know

With a place in Thomas Tuchel’s senior squad potentially under threat, Marcus Rashford could do his chances of a World Cup place a world of good by getting back on the scoring sheet at club. The Red Devils ace may have a battle on his hands for a centre-midfield berth, but it’s more of a fight for a place on the bench for 17-year-old Kobbie Mainoo after he impressed so much to earn a call-up from the England Under-21 squad.

Reading form through Premier League stats

Information derived from the Premier League season can be highly informative for bettors who incorporate player performance into their pricing models. A midfielder who averages a goal or assist every 60 minutes for a club that plays 30 Premier League fixtures is clearly a more dangerous forward option than an opponent who spent spring collecting dust on the bench due to injury.

As the final squads are locked in close to the end of the season, recent player form over the second half of the 2024/25 year may take greater precedence when building tournament lineups. United players are among those in the running for spots.

Betting markets and tournament structure

The expanded 48 team format for Canada Mexico USA 2026 may create a lot more matches per player, with markets for top scorer, most assists and player of the tournament often proving to have considerable appeal, with many of these contingent markets featuring several of the United player squad.

There’s also merit in examining the different World Cup qualification routes to estimate team’s overall depth, as those clubs that strolled through to make the play-off round may be perfectly match-fit for the opening round of group matches. There’s a risk that those bigger stars won’t have played as much as one might hope, and thus have been less regularly employed in the group stages leading in.

Assessing the value before the tournament begins

The next couple of years will be pivotal in determining whether or not Manchester United players develop into genuine tournament contenders or arrivals brought in to bolster a depth-charged squad. This analysis will keep an eye on United’s form in the Premier League, any call-ups for the Three Lions and how FIFA’s world rankings for all confederations fluctuate. This will allow for a better reading on where exactly certain players will be rated come the summer of 2026 and in turn, how they will be priced in pre-tournament odds for major international showpieces.