While goals get the headlines, they wouldn’t happen without the assists. Who will be the 2026 World Cup’s top creator at this summer’s finals?
Latest World Cup 2026 Most Assists odds: Main favourites
The Most Assists market at the 2026 World Cup is a fascinating one. It doesn’t value players on reputation alone. In fact, it focuses largely on the team's chief creators and playmakers. Set-piece responsibilities and the quality of finishers ahead of each player also directly affect the odds.
These prices have regularly shifted throughout the tournament. Some big individual creative displays have really shaken up the market at various points. Heading into the final weekend, there are only two strong candidates left to finish with the most assists:
| Player | National Team | Position | Odds | Notes |
| Michael Olise | France | Winger | 1.08 | Assist leader and clear favourite |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | Forward | 7.93 | Legendary forward shifting into more creative role |
Odds courtesy of YesPlay. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
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How World Cup 2026 Most Assists betting works
This particular market is settled on the player who records the most assists in the World Cup from start to finish. Assists are credited according to each bookmaker’s own rules, which is why two bookies can sometimes disagree on whether a deflected pass or a won penalty counts towards the final total.
That’s why it’s crucial to check the market rules with your chosen bookmaker before following through with your picks. That will ensure you’re familiar with what needs to happen for you to win.
Recognising how this option differs from other World Cup outright markets is also beneficial. The Most Assists market is about final passes, not finishes. The Golden Boot market rewards the top goalscorer. The Golden Ball market is a subjective vote for the best overall player.
Match assist markets, by contrast, cover a single fixture rather than the full tournament. Understanding the nuances helps you to avoid backing the right player in the wrong market.
World Cup 2026 Most Assists favourites: Player-by-player analysis
Let’s evaluate the candidates at the top of the World Cup 2026 Most Assists odds market ahead of the third-place play-off and final.
Creative responsibility, set-piece duties, and the calibre of attacking teammates can significantly boost a player’s chances in the World Cup 2026 Assist market.
Michael Olise - around 1.08 to record the most assists
Despite not adding to his tally of five assists since the Round of 32, Michael Olise remains the leader. Since creating two goals against Sweden in his fourth appearance at this World Cup, the 24-year-old has been the runaway favourite.
Olise’s creative output has waned since then, but his overall numbers are still impressive. He has made 15 through balls, the joint-highest figure at this World Cup along with Messi and seven more than the third-ranked player. The Bayern Munich man also ranks fifth with 143 successful final-third passes in the competition.
Despite struggling to shine against Spain in the semi-finals, Olise still has one last chance to add to his assists tally. A third-place play-off against England could see the Frenchman match Pele’s record of six assists at a single World Cup.
Bettors do need to consider how much Olise will feature in that fixture. There is no formal award handed out to the player with the most assists. That suggests Didier Deschamps won’t feel obliged to field the 24-year-old.
France have plenty of other options in attacking areas. The likes of Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki could rotate in. That suggests Olise will struggle to add to his current total. Given that and his short price, there is little sense in backing him in this market.
Lionel Messi - around 7.93 to record the most assists
With two decisive late assists in Argentina’s semi-final against England, Lionel Messi is suddenly in contention. He’s only one behind Olise on four assists at this World Cup. No other player has created more than three goals, so it’s likely a straight fight between the pair on the final weekend.
In the group stage of this World Cup, Messi served as Argentina’s attacking focal point, but not chief creator. That has evolved as the competition has gone on. In recent games, he has tended to drop deeper and take up different positions to be La Albiceleste’s main playmaker.
Against England, Messi was restricted to just one shot and a mere 0.01 xG. However, as the game wore on, he started to drift wide and find space on the right flank.
He provided the pass that set up Enzo Fernandez’s long-range leveller. Against a deep-lying English defence, his pinpoint crosses also posed consistent problems, and one of those led to Lautaro Martinez’s 92nd-minute winner.
His four key passes generated an impressive 0.76 xA (expected assists). Messi also finished the game on nine successful dribbles, which was two more than the entire England team. It was also the most by an individual player in a single match at this World Cup.
Argentina’s 19-goal return is now the most in a single tournament this century. They face a tough test in the final against a Spanish defence that has only conceded once in seven games. However, Messi is looking as sharp as ever at the age of 39.
There is no reason to think he hasn’t got another big moment or two left. Given that, Messi appears to offer value at long odds to finish with the most assists.
Value picks and outsider options for the Most Assists market
While Olise and Messi are the favourites, there are still a few other players who feature in the World Cup 2026 Most Assists odds. Creative forces for England and France could still challenge if they deliver in the third-place play-off.
Kylian Mbappe - value at around 51.00
Scoring goals will be Kylian Mbappe's priority on Saturday, as he competes with Messi for the Golden Boot. However, that race could ultimately come down to assists, which is the main tiebreaker.
At this World Cup, we have seen a more creative version of Mbappe. He assisted twice against Norway and once more against Morocco. That shows he can carve out chances for his teammates against both attacking and defensive teams.
With individual honours at stake, Mbappe may be the most motivated man on the field in Miami. He could cause big problems for an English defence that may be tired following a quick turnaround after their defeat to Argentina.
With 11 goal contributions already at this tournament, we could get one last elite display from Mbappe. Only three players can better his total of 16 chances created at this World Cup. He is the best value option of the active players currently on three assists.
Bukayo Saka - around 51.00
The Most Assists market operates differently to the other outright offerings. Players can come from nowhere to suddenly be contenders.
Having only clocked up 48 minutes of football in England’s opening two matches, Bukayo Saka looked unlikely to feature enough to compete. He was also only used from the bench against DR Congo in the Round of 32. However, starts and assists against Panama and Mexico took the winger’s tournament tally to three.
Despite completing two key passes after coming on against Norway, Saka didn’t even make it off the bench in the semi-finals against Argentina. He may rotate in for the third-place play-off. However, England are clear underdogs in that game, and Saka is unlikely to have enough opportunities to get close to Olise’s current tally.
Anthony Gordon - around 66.00
Another English winger with three assists is Anthony Gordon. The recent Barcelona signing’s most impactful performance came off the bench against DR Congo. He set up both of Harry Kane’s goals as England came from behind to win 2-1.
Gordon also won a vital penalty in the Round of 16 against Mexico, before assisting against Norway. He was on the scoresheet against Argentina to round off a solid tournament for the 25-year-old.
Having recorded 233 minutes over the past three rounds, there is a good chance Gordon will be rested against France. Les Bleus have conceded just four goals in seven matches at this World Cup. That suggests Gordon is not going to catch Messi or Olise in the assist rankings.
Strategy tips for betting on World Cup 2026 Assists Markets
If you want to be smarter with your picks, you have to weigh up player quality and the level of the opposition. Minutes on the pitch will also be a key factor as the World Cup 2026 Assist market concludes. Here are some pointers that are worth considering before you start World Cup 2026 playmaker betting:
- Consider who the designated set-piece takers are.
- Home in on those in the World Cup 2026 assists leader odds with great underlying chance creation data.
- Weigh up the calibre of strikers attempting to convert their chances created.
- Keep tabs on the latest injury and fitness news.
- Remember that extra matches and game time, not reputation, can often decide the winner of the World Cup 2026 Assist market.
- Don’t discount creative wide players, since some teams play with a lot of width.
- Pay attention to the third-place play-off, as well as the final.
World Cup 2026 Most Assists betting FAQs
What counts as an assist in the World Cup 2026 Most Assists market?
An assist is normally the final pass or touch directly leading to a goal being scored. Some bookmakers will define an assist differently from others, with some including penalties won or deflected passes, while others don’t. Always check the market rules before you bet.
Do players need to reach the final to win the Most Assists award?
Not necessarily, but there’s no doubt an advantage for those who reach the semi-finals. Martin Odegaard and Brahim Diaz have already been eliminated on four assists. An extra two games could have left both players in real contention.
Are midfielders more likely to win the Most Assists market than forwards?
Wide midfielders and creative attacking midfielders indeed have a good chance of winning this bet. That’s because they make more final passes in most national teams. That said, deep-lying forwards or false nines - and even attack-minded full-backs - can still be involved in chance creation.
When is the best time to place a Most Assists bet?
This is an unpredictable market, but it becomes more manageable in the knockout stage. After the early rounds, there is less potential for individuals to create two or more goals in certain games. It’s still possible to look for value by analysing match-ups ahead of the final games.