The 2026 World Cup final ends just 33 days before the Premier League season begins, leaving Fantasy Premier League managers facing an early-season trap built around the tournament's most heavily used players.
According to Fantasy Football Fix, players involved at the World Cup are expected to receive at least three weeks off before returning to club training. Those who reach the final may not be back with their Premier League clubs until around 10 August at the earliest — less than two weeks before the season starts.
That compressed turnaround is why World Cup workload could be one of the biggest risks in Gameweek 1 drafts. There are also five Premier League Gameweeks before the extended international break on 21 September, so any early fitness uncertainty could affect far more than the opening weekend.
Minutes, not appearances, are the real warning sign
Fantasy Football Fix said the key question is not simply which players were at the World Cup, but how much football they actually played. Several Premier League players have already passed the 450-minute mark at the tournament.
- Alexis Mac Allister and Ezri Konsa have both played 539 minutes.
- Rodri has reached 537 minutes for Spain.
- Elliot Anderson, moving from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, has played 533 minutes for England.
Other heavily used Premier League players include Lisandro Martínez, Marc Guéhi, Enzo Fernández, Nico O'Reilly, Cristian Romero and William Saliba, according to Fantasy Football Fix.
Not all of them matter for FPL. Rodri, for example, is rarely a pick despite his minutes. But Saliba, Anderson, Guéhi and potentially Konsa could all feature heavily in Gameweek 1 drafts.
Manchester City FPL fixtures look kind, but the risk is real
Manchester City have the highest World Cup workload of any Premier League squad, with their players recording 5,027 minutes at the tournament, Fantasy Football Fix reported.
On paper, City's early fixtures are very appealing. According to the site's Fixture Planner, their first six Gameweeks are: Bournemouth (H), Crystal Palace (A), Coventry City (H), Manchester United (A), Sunderland (H), Liverpool (A).
Home matches against Bournemouth, Coventry City and Sunderland in the opening five Gameweeks will make City assets extremely tempting. But heavy international involvement could lead to delayed returns, limited pre-season involvement or managed game-time at the start of the campaign.
What price will Elliot Anderson be in FPL 2026/27?
Anderson is one player attracting major interest. He was already popular last season following the introduction of defensive contribution points (DEFCON), and a move to Manchester City could increase his appeal further.
The Predicted Player Price tool is currently forecasting Anderson at £7.0m for 2026/27, up from a £5.5m starting price and £5.7m end price last season, according to Fantasy Football Fix. The rise reflects his 2025/26 campaign, in which he scored 180 points across 3,332 minutes.
At £5.5m, Anderson may have been an easy enabler. At a predicted £7.0m, managers will need to be more certain about his role, minutes and attacking potential before committing. Final FPL prices for 2026/27, including Anderson's, have not been confirmed.
Arsenal FPL early fixtures tempt managers into the same trap
Arsenal rank second for total World Cup workload, with their squad recording 4,285 minutes. The Gunners also have one of the more appealing early fixture runs, ranking sixth for attacking fixture difficulty across the first six gameweeks and opening at home to Coventry City.
That combination will make Arsenal assets extremely popular in Gameweek 1. Yet William Saliba, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka were all heavily involved at the tournament, forcing managers to weigh the fixtures against the fatigue risk.
City and Arsenal are not the only clubs affected. Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United have all seen their squads pass 2,500 World Cup minutes, with Mac Allister the standout for Liverpool.
What managers should do before Gameweek 1
Fantasy Football Fix advises managers to monitor pre-season minutes, early team news and manager comments closely before finalising Gameweek 1 drafts, including Enzo Maresca's comments on City's returning players. The site's Preseason Pack is now live on its website.
Which World Cup players will actually return late or have their minutes managed in the opening gameweeks remains unknown until pre-season friendlies and early team news emerge. How new signings such as Anderson settle at their clubs is also still to be seen.