World Cup DFS Picks & Strategy: Wednesday, June 17th

by Zach Thompson (zt_sports) Last Updated 2026-06-17 15:56:39 Premium Content Part of the product Soccer Premium

While there is still a very long way to go in this year’s World Cup, the end of the beginning is in sight today! The final 8 teams in the tournament will get underway as the last two groups of the Group Stage take the pitch. The first game begins at 1:00 PM ET, with kickoff every 3 hours throughout the rest of the day. DraftKings has some more great contests on the board, so let’s dive in and break it down.

The first kickoff of the day features the debut of Portugal (#5 in the current FIFA rankings), who will face Congo DR (#45) in Houston. The other top-10 team in action today kicks off at 4:00 PM ET, when England (#4) takes on Croatia (#11) in an outstanding matchup that headlines Group L. The other two teams in Group L are next, when Ghana (#73) takes on Panama (#34) in Toronto. We go back to Group K for the nightcap, as Uzbekistan (#50) takes on a strong Colombia (#14) team in Mexico City.

Portugal and England are heavily favored to win their respective groups, although Colombia and Croatia are formidable second teams in their respective groups. Ghana is a slight favorite to advance as well, while the other teams are underdogs to move to the Knockout stage, according to the odds coming into the tournament from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Just a reminder that the tournament has been expanded this year to include more teams in both the Group Stage and Knockout Round. As a result, the top 2 teams will be moving on from each group, and the top 8 3rd-place teams will earn a spot in the Round of 32 as well.

Portugal is by far the heaviest favorite to win today, with Colombia next in line. England faces a tough test, but they are still slight favorites, and the Ghana vs. Panama matchup also looks to be a close one based on the odds and rankings. Since we’re just seeing these teams for the first time, the rankings and odds can be helpful in determining which teams to lean into as you assemble your lineups.

If you’re new to soccer DFS, don’t worry! We have you covered with my Beginner’s Guide to Daily Fantasy Soccer, our soccer player projections, and our soccer optimizer (LineupHQ). And last but not least, don’t forget to check out our World Cup DFS Simulation tool. So you should be set if you are wanting to sweat any or all of the 104 matches in the 2026 World Cup.

Forwards

Top Play: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal ($9,700)

Ronaldo is beginning what is expected to be his final World Cup, and the 41-year-old forward is still in a critical role for Portugal. He’s expected to start up front as the primary point in the attack, and especially against a potentially overmatched opponent like Congo DR, the team will try to get him on the scoresheet.

This will be Ronaldo’s 6th World Cup, and he has scored in every tournament, totaling 8 goals and 2 assists in 20 World Cup appearances. He has starred for Portugal across an impressive 228 appearances, with 143 goals. While he hasn’t scored in his 2 appearances this year, he had 3 goals in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League and 5 goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification last year. He’s also remained a prolific goalscorer in club play, with 28 goals in 30 games this season for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Even if Ronaldo isn’t in peak form compared to his impressive career, he should be strong enough to produce with such an elite squad of creators around him. Later in the event against tougher competition, he could give way to some of the younger options, but for this match, look for Ronaldo to enjoy the spotlight. If he scores a goal in this tournament, he’ll be the first player in history to score in 6 different World Cups. Look for Portugal to get him on the board early.

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