Betting on the FIFA World Cup Young Player Award is one of the most exciting futures available at the event, as the next generation of soccer stars fight it out to be named the World Cup’s best youngster.
Players like 18-year-old Lamine Yamal are already getting all the headlines, but there are many contenders. In this guide, we’ll explain how the honor is decided, discuss the leading candidates, and give you tips on how best to approach this market. We’ll also highlight our favorite sportsbooks, social sports betting sites, and prediction markets to predict the FIFA Young Player Award.
The changes that have been made to this year’s World Cup format are quite substantial, and while that means many more betting opportunities, making accurate predictions will be tougher this time around.
The FIFA World Cup Young Player Award is given out to the tournament’s best young player. Breakthrough candidates display elite skills and sportsmanship throughout the event. To be eligible for the honor, players must be 21 years or younger as of 1 January ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Just like betting on the World Cup Golden Glove award, the Young Player category is tricky to predict because the winner isn’t determined by using quantitative data only. Instead, it’s decided by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG). Here we’ll give you an idea of how the process works.
A panel of TSG experts, which consists of national team coaches and former players, is tasked with watching and analyzing every match. There were seven panel members for the 2022 World Cup, but with an extra 40 matches being played during the 2026 edition, there are likely to be more this time.
While part of their analysis uses statistics like goals and assists, they also take into account attitude/fair play, skills like passing, defense, and dribbling, plus “ability to enhance team performance”.
Once every match has been analyzed, the Technical Study Group draws up an informal shortlist of ‘standout’ players, which the panel members discuss further. The winner is determined by consensus, rather than by voting.
The shortlist is then published on FIFA’s official site, but it isn’t a ‘fixed’ list as you’ll find for the World Cup Golden Ball award. Instead, it represents some of the young players who impressed the panel.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernández was ultimately declared the 2022 winner. Unlike the other main World Cup awards, there are no runner-up or third-place awards for this category.
Lastly, for those of you who plan to place a bet on the winner of the World Cup Young Player Award, it is given out right after the conclusion of the tournament. So, you won’t have to wait long until your bet is settled.
2026 World Cup format changes mean more young players than ever will take part this year, and numerous soccer pundits have already put forward their ideas for the most likely World Cup Young Player award contenders.
We’ve also checked out what the experts at the best betting sites for soccer are saying, and although we’ve seen some variation between opinions, five player names have come up multiple times. Finally, after doing our own extensive research too, we have to agree that these five young players should be added to your shortlist.
Yamal is one of the odds-on favorites to take home the Golden Ball, the award for the tournament’s best overall player. So, it should be no surprise to see the Spanish youngster leading this list. In fact, he already has a trophy like this after helping Spain win Euro 2024 just after his 17th birthday.
Now 18 years old, the Barcelona winger has fully matured into a game-breaking talent. He is the key man for Spain, who are expected to make a serious run at another major tournament. Yamal might be hindered by a hamstring injury currently, but even if Spain opts to ease him into the tournament, he’ll play a pivotal role in the knockout rounds.
With over 100 appearances for his club and 25 for his country, few youngsters have the experience and maturity of Yamal. Plus, we can’t overlook the fact that this award goes to big names more often than not. And Yamal is a worldwide superstar.
Endrick’s chances of playing at the World Cup seemed small at the start of the season. The 19-year-old couldn’t get any meaningful playing time at Real Madrid, and he failed to make any of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad in the first half of the campaign.
But the dynamic forward’s fortunes have changed since joining Lyon on loan in December. He has found the net six times in 14 games for the French side, earning a return to the Brazil national team. While Endrick will have to continue to prove himself worthy of playing time at the World Cup, he has the talent to turn many heads, especially in a side hoping its attack will finally catch fire.
At just 20 years old, Zaire-Emery has become the key man in the center of PSG’s midfield. The youngster broke onto the scene during the 2022-23 season at 16 and has been a mainstay ever since, racking up over 100 appearances for his club. He’s also helped drive them to the cusp of Champions League glory again in 2026.
While playing for one of the tournament favorites in France should also help his cause, it could also be the biggest problem for Zaire-Emery’s candidacy. France is absolutely stacked with world-class midfielders, such as Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, and N’Golo Kante. Zaire-Emery should get playing time, but it’s a question of whether the midfielder can get enough to make a big impression.
Unlike most of the players in this list, Cubarsi is a defender. Attacking players usually dominate this award, and you have to go all the way back to 1974 to find a center-back winner. But if there is anyone who can buck this trend, it’s the 19-year-old Spaniard.
Cubarsi has become a pivotal player for both Spain and Barcelona in recent years. He had made over 100 appearances for his club over the past two seasons. Cubarsi boasts skill and composure beyond his years and is a true modern center-back with his ability to play the ball out from the back. If Spain rides its defensive prowess to a World Cup win, Cubarsi could beat out top young forwards.
O’Reilly enjoyed a breakout season for Man City, locking down the left back spot and making it a strength of the Premier League outfit. The 21-year-old was converted from a midfielder, and his attacking prowess has been on display all season. He made over 40 appearances for Man City this season, prompting his first England call-up in October.
O’Reilly is locked into England’s starting left back spot with the likes of Lewis Hall left at home,, and his ability to drive upfield and give his team an extra dimension should mean the youngster should get plenty of attention.
When it comes to sports betting, sportsbooks allow you to place real-money bets on sporting events using fixed odds. This means you can wager on betting markets like the FIFA World Cup 2026 Young Player Award, and back rising young players like Lamine Yamal or Endrick.
Many top sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses, along with other features like live odds and dedicated mobile apps. We’ve picked out some of the best sportsbooks for placing bets on the FIFA Young Player Award below.
It’s always worth checking if you are eligible to register at these sportsbooks, though, as some states restrict sports betting.
The DraftKings Sportsbook covers pretty much every sporting event going – including the FIFA World Cup 2026 of course. This includes futures markets like the Young Player Award, where you can place wagers on the likes of Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal to clinch this award.
DraftKings is well known for its solid live betting setup, which updates quickly and performs with little to no lag. This is crucial when it comes to wagering on hugely popular competitions like the World Cup.
When you join the DraftKings Sportsbook as a new user you’ll gain access to the ‘Bet $5+ Get $100 in Bonus Bets’ welcome bonus. This is an awesome offer and one of the best sports betting bonuses you can claim right now.
We were really impressed with the mobile app, as although it packs in a lot of content, it still offers clear navigation around betting markets like outright winner and Golden Boot.
Social sportsbooks operate in a different way to traditional online sportsbooks because they run on virtual currencies rather than real cash wagers. Instead of placing bets at a social sportsbook, you make social picks using Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins (or their equivalents) on markets like the FIFA World Cup 2026 Young Player Award winner.
As these social sportsbooks do not involve any gambling, they are a great alternative for users based in states where online sports betting is restricted.
Check out our recommended social sportsbooks below, where you can claim welcome bonuses, make social wagers on the World Cup Young Player Award, and unlock the potential of prize redemption.
Thrillzz is a top social sportsbook available in over 30 US states. The site is mobile-first, with dedicated apps for iOS and Android users, as well as a smooth mobile site.
If you’re planning your FIFA World Cup 2026 social picks, Thrillzz is a solid option, especially if you’re keen to explore futures markets like the Young Player Award winner. We expect to see competitive odds on the likes of Warren Zaire-Emery and Endrick, and it’s easy to keep track of the latest movements thanks to the live picks.
The welcome bonus of 3,000 Thrillzz Coins and 2 Thrillzz Sweeps is yours when you sign up, and a 100% purchase match on Thrillzz Coins can really expand your social bets. Any spending is completely optional, though, and never a requirement at Thrillzz.
If you decide to buy a Thrillzz Coin package, the brand supports major credit cards, Apple Pay, Skrill, and bank transfer. Any questions can be directed to customer support, who are available 24/7 via email and phone.
Legendz kicks things off with a top welcome bonus of 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins. While the amount of GC could be higher, the SC award here is excellent, and ideal for FIFA World Cup fans looking to place some social picks.
The selection of sports markets covered at Legendz is good. Within the World Cup markets you’ll find everything from outright winners and group winners to Golden Ball and Young Player Awards.
If you happen to use up your welcome bonus placing social wagers on players such as Lamine Yamal and Nico O’Reilly, then you can explore the other Legendz promotions. This includes the welcome offer that could boost your virtual balance by 20,500 GC and 103 FREE SC. That’s a lot of predictions right there.
Legendz supports payment methods that include Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Skrill. If you get stuck at all then make sure you reach out to support via live chat – they are available 24/7 and responses are usually quick.
If you’re looking for a modern and fresh social sportsbook, Bracco is a good choice. The site features hundreds of sports markets, including FIFA World Cup 2026 social betting opportunities.
As a new user, you can join up today and claim 10,000 Bracco Coins and 5 Bracco Cash for free, which is really decent. A first purchase of Bracco Coins can get you a 100% match up to $100. Bracco supports crypto payments and prize redemption, too, so you can expect speedy transaction times.
Getting back to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bracco provides flexible ways to make social picks on futures markets like the Young Player Award winner. You can back emerging players like Pau Cubarsi before the tournament starts and track breakout performers during the competition and place in-play social wagers, thanks to the live social betting feature.
Plus, it’s simple to keep an eye on your picks while out and about, with easy access to dedicated Bracco mobile apps and a responsive mobile site. You can place social wagers and contact live chat support from wherever you are.
Prediction markets work in a different way to traditional sportsbooks and social sportsbooks. Rather than using fixed odds or placing social picks, you can buy and sell event contracts that are tied to real-world outcomes, such as the FIFA World Cup 2026.
This is great news if you want to make predictions on markets like the 2026 World Cup Young Player Award. The prices you see at a prediction market reflect implied probabilities, and will be influenced by factors such as player performances, goals, assists, team progression, injuries, and overall market sentiment.
Below are some of our top prediction sites for tracking the FIFA World Cup Young Player Award 2026.
Kalshi is an established CFTC-regulated prediction market, where you can trade event contracts tied to elections, economics, culture, climate, sports, and more.
For FIFA World Cup 2026 fans, Kalshi could be a great option to consider, especially if you’re based in a state where sportsbooks are restricted. Rather than placing bets or social wagers, you can make predictions on markets like the Young Player Award winner.
This means you would be buying and selling event contracts tied to emerging stars like Arda Guler and Lamine Yamal, with the prices you see reflecting the implied probability of a player winning the award. These prices will fluctuate as the tournament progresses, and are impacted by performance, goals, team progress, injuries, and market sentiment.
When you register at Kalshi you can claim a $10 welcome bonus when you make a $10 trade. It’s pretty straightforward to fund your account, too, as Kalshi supports bank transfers, cards, and crypto.
Polymarket is a crypto-focused prediction market that launched in 2020. You don’t have to be a crypto expert to use the site though, as you can use regular cards to fund your account via MoonPay.
As a new user you can claim up to $50 in trade bonuses with the 100% deposit match. To qualify you’ll need to deposit at least $20 when you sign up.
When it comes to the FIFA World Cup 2026, Polymarket gives you the opportunity to trade contracts on markets like the Golden Ball winner, outright tournament winner, and Young Player Award. Rather than odds, the prices you see reflect implied probability, so if a player like Endrick starts strong in the tournament, their contract price could rise.
Once you’ve got yourself accustomed to how prediction markets work, you’ll be able to track prices and monitor your predictions easily.
The brand has an app and a mobile site that both work well for browsing markets on your phone. We were able to access support via email and live chat, although it’s worth checking the knowledge base first as it’s quite comprehensive.
The FIFA Young Player Award was established in 2006 and was previously known as the Best Young Player Award. So while only five players have received the award at the time of the World Cup, FIFA conducted an internet poll to retroactively decide the top young player of every tournament. Here is the full list.
| Year | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Enzo Fernández | Argentina |
| 2018 | Kylian Mbappe | France |
| 2014 | Paul Pogba | France |
| 2010 | Thomas Muller | Germany |
| 2006 | Lukas Podolski | Germany |
| 2002 | Landon Donovan | USA |
| 1998 | Michael Owen | England |
| 1994 | Marc Overmars | Netherlands |
| 1990 | Robert Prosinecki | Yugoslavia |
| 1986 | Enzo Scifo | Belgium |
| 1982 | Manuel Amoros | France |
| 1978 | Antonio Cabrini | Italy |
| 1974 | Wladyslaw Zmuda | Poland |
| 1970 | Teófilo Cubillas | Peru |
| 1966 | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany |
| 1962 | Flórián Albert | Hungary |
| 1958 | Pelé | Brazil |
If you’re new to using World Cup betting sites, here are some key factors to consider when trying to predict who’ll win the FIFA Young Player Award.
The FIFA Young Player Award has historically gone to players on teams that make it far into the World Cup. The last two winners, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Enzo Fernández, played for the winning team. Before that, two of the previous three winners played for teams that made the semi-finals. So while players like Türkiye’s Arda Guler have the talent to win the award, he might not get enough games to impress. So, focus on the players on the main contenders to win the World Cup.
Like with many soccer awards, voters are swayed by attacking players who have an impact on the scoresheet. In fact, three of the five winners since 2006 have scored at least three goals during the tournament. The other two winners, Paul Pogba and Enzo Fernández, were string-pulling central midfielders who were key players for their respective teams’ attacks.
With only a maximum of eight games to make an impression on voters, it’s vital to wager on players who are assured of significant playing time. It doesn’t matter how talented a young player is if he can’t get on the field. Teams like France are so stacked with talent that players like Désiré Doué, the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year, could struggle to get enough minutes to earn this award.
Injuries have already made an impact on the World Cup. Young Brazilian winger Estêvão has already been ruled out of the tournament after a thigh injury. The Chelsea star looked like one of the main contenders for the FIFA Young Player Award. Lamine Yamal should be healthy for the World Cup, but his club season was cut short by a hamstring issue. Bettors should keep a close eye on injury updates throughout the tournament.
With the 2026 World Cup still a few weeks away, there’s plenty of value to be found in the FIFA World Cup winner betting markets at this stage. However, the 48 countries are due to start releasing their provisional squad lists very soon, which may cause some market movement.
The Golden Boot award is a category where you can find value odds at this early stage, but if you plan to bet on the winner of awards like the Golden Glove, Golden Ball, or the World Cup Young Player, it may well be better to wait until the final squad lists are released.
For most other types of World Cup bets, things will fall into place naturally as the tournament progresses. In the table below, we’ve added all of the relevant dates for you.
| 2026 FIFA World Cup stages | Start dates |
|---|---|
| Group stage | 11 June, 2026 |
| Round of 32 | 28 June, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | 4 July, 2026 |
| Quarter Finals | 9 July, 2026 |
| Semi Final | 14 and 15 July, 2026 |
| Final | 18 July, 2026 |
Things are definitely heating up on the 2026 FIFA World Cup front. We’ve seen plenty of sportsbooks and prediction sites that already have odds and probabilities posted for the outright winner, awards like the Golden Boot, and some also have tentative prices available for making World Cup Young Player predictions.
As the big event draws nearer, a lot will change in terms of the markets, and sportsbooks are likely to react by offering bigger 2026 FIFA World Cup betting bonuses as an incentive to sign up.
Right now, it’s a really good time to open a new account, so please feel free to take a look at our page banners, where you’ll see a selection of recommended betting sites, social sportsbooks, and prediction markets that are available in your location.
Lamine Yamal is easily the leading candidate. Not only is he already considered the best young talent in world football and helped win Euro 2024, but he plays for the tournament favorites, Spain.
The FIFA Technical Study Group determines the winner, picking the player based on his individual skill, impact on team performance, and overall sportsmanship.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernández took home the honor in 2022. He led his team’s midfield with virtuoso performances during the run to World Cup glory.
The format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has changed considerably. This year will see matches hosted in three countries, 48 national teams will take part, and 104 matches in total will be played. Most importantly, an extra ‘Round of 32’ has been added to this year’s schedule.
The first Group stage matches will take place on 11, June, 2026. There are four teams in each of the 12 Groups, who will all play three matches in order to determine which teams will progress to the Round of 32.
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