FPL: Most Owned Players So Far

The dust is barely settled on the first day of Fantasy Premier League 2025/26, but already a few trends are emerging—and some of them are eye-opening.

Fantasy Premier League’s grip on the football gaming landscape has never been stronger. Boasting a record-breaking 11.5 million players last season, it’s now officially the largest fantasy football game in the world. With such a massive and engaged global audience, FPL has evolved into a parallel competition of its own, where form, fixtures, and price tags create as much of a talking point as what unfolds on the pitch.

While old favourites like Mohamed Salah remain popular, the early data from this season shows FPL managers are betting big on fresh faces, bargain buys, and Club World Cup form.

Joao Pedro: 58.5%

Chelsea’s new £60 million man is already the most-owned player in the game. Joao Pedro arrives from Brighton with a huge weight of expectation and didn’t waste time making an impression – scoring three goals in four games during the Club World Cup despite coming straight from holiday. At £7.5m, his price is drawing comparisons to Gabriel Jesus in 2022. A risk? Sure, but more than half the FPL world is taking it.

Mohamed Salah: 55.4%

No surprises here. Salah comes into the season off the back of a record-breaking FPL campaign (334 points) and remains the most expensive player in the game at £14.5m. Still, with Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike joining Liverpool’s new-look attack, Salah may not need to do it all on his own – though he probably will anyway.

Cole Palmer: 48.2%

Chelsea’s creative engine and penalty taker remains a go-to pick. After being one of the most consistent point-scorers last season, Palmer is priced at a premium (£10.5m) but has the numbers – and now a Club World Cup medal – to justify it.

Alexander Isak: 39.2%

Isak’s FPL stock has dipped slightly compared to previous years, largely due to a hefty price tag (£10.5m) and reported tensions with Newcastle’s management. But 23 goals last season means he’s still one of the most reliable forwards in the game. Expect his ownership to spike if he starts hot – if he stays in the North East that is.

Florian Wirtz: 37.4%

Liverpool’s £115m marquee signing looks underpriced at £8.5m, even without a Premier League track record. Whether deployed centrally or on the wing, Wirtz brings end product and what feels like a points guarantee if his reputation in Leverkusen is anything to go by. A trendy differential that may not stay differential for long.

Rest of the Top 10:

Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City, £6m) – 30.3%

Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool, £6m) – 29.3%

Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford, £4.5m) – 29.0%

Gabriel (Arsenal, £6m) – 27.9%

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham, £4.5m) – 27.0%

The inclusion of defenders like Wan-Bissaka, buoyed by new FPL scoring rules that reward defensive actions, reflects a shift in strategy among managers.

By Position:

Top Forward: Joao Pedro

Top Midfielder: Mohamed Salah

Top Defender: Rayan Ait-Nouri

Top Goalkeeper: Caoimhin Kelleher

Notable Absentees:

Some of the biggest names in the league aren’t getting much love—yet. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (18%) finds himself outside the top ten for the first time, perhaps due to his hefty £14m price point. He is joined by Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (17%), and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (8.4%) as not omissions from the early rankings.

Whether it’s each player’s buffed up price, fixture congestion, or just early-season uncertainty, FPL managers seem happy to look elsewhere—for now.

Insideworldfootball.com