Best Central Midfielders under 100K Coins

We score every FC 27 Ultimate Team card in every role it can play. These are the 5,870 Central Midfielders you can buy for 100K coins or less, ranked by Meta Score with their best chemistry style. Mariona leads with a Meta Score of 90.9 and costs about 90.5k coins. Cheaper: Karchaoui scores 90.8 for about 91k coins.

Updated October 8, 2026

Top picks

Mariona card — Best overall
The highest Meta Score

Sakina Karchaoui card — Best value
Almost as good, for fewer coins

Moleiro card — Hidden gem
Plays far above its OVR

Central Midfielders ranking

Top 30 of 5,870

1
CM90.990.5K
Box-to-Box · Basic
2
CM90.891K
Box-to-Box · Basic
3
CM87.615K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
4
CM87.675K
Box-to-Box · Basic
5
CM87.434.3K
Box-to-Box · Basic
6
CM87.36.8K
Box-to-Box · Catalyst
7
CM87.121K
Box-to-Box · Basic
8
CM87.189K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
9
CM86.864K
Box-to-Box · Catalyst
10
CM86.661K
Playmaker · Finisher
11
CM86.459.5K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Guardian
12
CM86.459.5K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
13
CM86.311.8K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
14
CM86.362K
Box-to-Box · Catalyst
15
CM86.212K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
16
CM86.13.8K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
17
CM86.019K
Playmaker · Engine
18
CM85.816.8K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
19
CM85.840.5K
Box-to-Box · Basic
20
CM85.7950
Box-to-Box · Basic
21
CM85.768K
Playmaker · Finisher
22
CM85.629.8K
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow
23
CM85.593.5K
Playmaker · Finisher
24
CM85.46.9K
Playmaker · Finisher
25
CM85.414.3K
Box-to-Box · Catalyst
26
CM85.470.5K
Playmaker · Finisher
27
CM85.297K
Box-to-Box · Catalyst
28
CM85.023.5K
Holding · Shadow
29
CM85.048K
Playmaker · Finisher
30
CM84.7750
Deep-Lying Playmaker · Shadow

Central Midfielders at a glance

Cards ranked: 5,870
Avg. Meta Score, top 10: 87.9
Median price, top 10: 62.5k
Most common chem style: Basic
Most common PlayStyle+: Technical

Central Midfielders roles

Every card is scored in each of these roles, and the ranking above uses its best one. Open a role to see who suits it best.

Best Holding (CM)

A pivotal role in modern football, this defence-minded midfielder focuses on guarding their backline during attacks, and covering off against counter-attacks, with limited attacking support.

Best Deep-Lying Playmaker (CM)

The key cog to building up play from the back, this defensively positioned midfielder will often be the catalyst for attacks.

Best Playmaker (CM)

This player tends to be the creative fulcrum of a midfield, given license to roam and create space and opportunities for attacks. Likely to be out of position if the opposition counters.

Best Half Winger (CM)

A midfielder who provides width when their team is in possession, moving along the flanks to offer a wide threat. Particularly effective when one of three central midfielders.

Best Box-to-Box (CM)

This player operates between the two boxes, operating as neither the last line of defence, nor the final part of attack, but involved in everything in between.

How we rank Central Midfielders

Meta Score rates a card in a specific role rather than overall. It weighs the attributes that role needs, PlayStyles and PlayStyles+, AcceleRATE, skill moves, weak foot, height and Role+ / Role++, and tests every chemistry style at full chemistry to find the best one. OVR only averages attributes, so a lower-rated card often plays better in the right role.

Only cards on the console Transfer Market for 100K coins or less are included. Switch to PC above the ranking to rebuild the list from PC prices.

What is Meta Score?

Central Midfielders for every budget

Cheapest players by rating All players by Meta Score

FAQ

Who are the best Central Midfielders under 100K coins?

By Meta Score, the top three are Mariona (90.9), Karchaoui (90.8) and João Neves (87.6).

What is the cheapest option among the top 10 Central Midfielders?

Barella costs about 6.8k coins and has a Meta Score of 87.3, 3.6 points behind the best.

Which chemistry style is best for Central Midfielders?

Basic is the best chemistry style for 5 of the top 10. The best style depends on the card, so every row in the ranking shows the one that gets the most out of it.

Why isn't this list sorted by OVR?

OVR averages attributes and ignores PlayStyles, AcceleRATE, skill moves, weak foot and height. Meta Score weighs what the role needs, which is why Moleiro (OVR 84) reaches a Meta Score of 86.6.

How often is this list updated?

Prices refresh throughout the day and the ranking is rebuilt at least every 30 minutes. A card's Meta Score changes when the card is upgraded or the scoring is retuned.

Are these console or PC prices?

Console prices by default. Switch to PC above the ranking to see PC prices; on budget pages the list is also rebuilt from PC prices.