DraftKings DFS World Cup Picks for Thursday, July 2

Our DraftKings DFS World Cup picks for Thursday, July 2. Spain and Portugal headline a three-game knockout slate, with set-piece value across all three games.

July 1, 2026

By:

Adam Zdroik

July 1, 2026

World Cup

DraftKings DFS World Cup Picks for Thursday, July 2: Spain Headline a Three-Game Knockout Slate

Spain are the attack to build around on Thursday's three-game World Cup knockout slate, with set-piece value scattered across all three games.

Thursday is a three-game knockout board on DraftKings. Spain are the team to target: around 72 percent to beat Austria with the best clean-sheet chance on the slate, and implied for better than two goals. Portugal are a modest favorite over Croatia, and Switzerland vs. Algeria is the tight game, with Switzerland a slight favorite. Set-piece roles are the through-line on this slate, and that's where a lot of the cheaper plays come from.

It's win-or-go-home, so there's no resting. The way I'd attack it is to pay up for Lamine Yamal or one of the set-piece hubs, then fill in with the cheaper dead-ball pieces that are strong value at the price. The expensive strikers carry the ceiling but not the floor, so I'd use them more in tournaments. Nothing's official until lineups drop, and these prices don't account for minutes, so confirm before lock.

Come talk lineups in the RotoWire Discord before lock. Here's how I'm attacking it.

WORLD CUP MATCHES (ET)

For detailed stats and odds, check out the DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: World Cup Cheat Sheet.

Hit up our Discord with more questions.

FORWARDS

Lamine Yamal (ESP vs AUT, $9,900)

Yamal will be the hardest player to ignore Thursday after going 76 minutes last game. He carries the highest floor on the board because he pairs a heavy share of Spain's set pieces, six corners and free kicks across the group stage, with his own shot creation, so unlike most studs his number doesn't hang entirely on the goal. In the best matchup on the board, he's worth the price. With 80-plus minutes a possibility, ignoring his last game may be the best strategy.

Mikel Oyarzabal ($10,000) has less of a floor and about the same amount of upside. He also makes sense as a Yamal pivot in tournaments since it's realistic that Oyarzabal gets two goals and Yamal doesn't have any.

Riyad Mahrez (ALG vs SUI, $5,800)

Mahrez is the value piece that most will flock to. He took seven corners and free kicks across the group stage and is fresh off a brace even if he wasn't supposed to score the final goal last game. Even better, he went 90 minutes against Austria, so the early minutes concerns may no longer be a thing. The matchup is fine and he should have a reasonable floor in this spot.

Ibrahim Maza is the cheapest way into that Algeria attack. He gets his own shots and leads the line as the underdog against Switzerland, so at $4,200 he's a punt with real upside if Algeria find a goal. He's been a lock for minutes and while he hasn't had a goal involvement, that may not be needed for the price.

Cristiano Ronaldo ($9,700) will be a thing because he always is. Unfortunately, I think he can be useful against Croatia. This game should be a little more open and that'll lead to better opportunities for him. He could be worth it if Portugal score multiple goals.

Breel Embolo ($8,500) is the Switzerland striker in the tight game and he won't be popular. In the other side, Amine Gouiri ($5,100) is another Algerian option who may be most likely to score for them.

Marko Arnautovic ($4,200) is a contrarian Austria dart getting shots at 2.4 on goal per 90. It'll be tough to play anyone against Spain, though.

MIDFIELDERS

Alex Baena (ESP vs AUT, $6,700)

Baena is the value way to stack the Spain attack, if you think you can trust him. He took eight corners and free kicks across the group stage, though even if he starts, he won't go more than 70 minutes. It's not hard to get here, you just need to hope he'll get enough action early in the game to pay off.

Bruno Fernandes (POR vs CRO, $9,800)

I've been off Fernandes most of the tournament, but if this game is up and down like I think it could be, that's the spot where he'll smash. I still don't think he has the elite Man United floor with Portugal, but it still feels like a good spot given how Croatia play.

I'd be more willing to play Ruben Vargas at $8,000, but he's been equally hard to trust. He had almost a zero-point floor last game despite scoring against Canada, while he smashed off the bench the game before that.

If you'd rather save, Luka Modric ($5,600) took eight corners and free kicks himself. I shouted Petar Sucic ($4,000) in our Discord last game and he managed a goal with a nice floor. If he starts with Modric and Mateo Kovacic on the pitch, he gets into attacking situations.

Houssem Aouar (ALG vs SUI, $3,300)

Aouar is a punt-priced midfielder that could draw another start. He assisted twice last game and will likely draw plenty of attention if again in the XI. The punt options who have upside have been popular in the World Cup because that allows people to pay up at multiple spots.

Fares Chaibi ($4,300) took four corners and free kicks across the group stage for Algeria, and Djibril Sow ($4,000) is the cheap Switzerland option if he starts. Sow is extremely volatile, however.

Marcel Sabitzer ($6,000) took 10 set pieces for Austria, a contrarian dart against Spain. He's cheap enough that he should receive some ownership. Pedri ($7,500) is the pricier Spain set-piece midfielder if you want to spend up, but he's still too expensive if corners aren't guaranteed when Yamal and Baena are on the pitch.

DEFENDERS

Rayan Ait-Nouri (ALG vs SUI, $4,300)

This is kind of a weird defender slate. There are some studs if Pedro Porro ($7,000) starts and I think Nuno Mendes ($7,700) could have a big game, but they're really expensive. Ait-Nouri has a decent floor and the matchup isn't prohibitive enough that he's going to finish with two points against Switzerland. At least I don't think he is.

I like Joao Cancelo ($5,200) for the price, but an early substitution is a worry in this team. Being the early game, Marcos Llorente ($4,200) should again be a decent play if he's confirmed in the XI. The price difference between him and Porro is kind of crazy.

GOALKEEPER

Alexander Schlager (AUT vs ESP, $3,800)

I'm staying cheap here... probably. Schlager faces a Spain side that should get plenty of shots, and the hope is that they don't bag five in a massive win. Fresh in my mind is the France game when Sweden's goalkeeper almost broke the slate.

If you want to spend up, Spain's defense has been elite so Unai Simon ($5,800) is worth a shot and he should have some save opportunities.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Adam Zdroik plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: zdroik, DraftKings: rotozdroik, Yahoo: StreakMaster.