How do I enter?
Entries for 2026 are now closed - the group stage is finished and the knockout rounds are under way, so both phase forms are locked. For reference: there were two links, one for each phase. Phase 1 was your group-stage picks; Phase 2 the knockout bracket. You opened the link, made your picks, and submitted - no account or password needed. You can still load your saved picks with your email and entry code, and the leaderboard stays live.
Do I need an entry code?
Yes. The first time you submit your group picks, you get an entry code. We show it on screen and email it to you. You need that code together with your email to load or change your picks in either phase. It keeps anyone else from seeing or changing your entry.
Why are there two separate links?
Phase 2's bracket can only be built once the group stage finishes and the real 32 qualifiers are known. So you pick groups first, then come back later for the bracket.
When did Phase 1 lock?
Phase 1 locked at midnight on June 10th, when the group stage kicked off. It is now closed.
When did Phase 2 open and lock?
Phase 2 opened once the groups wrapped and the qualifiers were set, and locked when the Round of 32 kicked off on June 28th. It is now closed too - the pool is into the knockout rounds.
What happens if I miss a deadline?
Once a phase locks, that form is normally closed and picks cannot be changed. If the organizer accepts a late entry, it carries a flat scoring penalty - see Scoring below. The phases lock independently, so missing one does not affect the other.
What is the entry code for?
It is your key. Together with your email, it lets you load your saved picks and make changes, and it stops anyone else from opening or editing your entry.
Where do I find it?
It appears on screen the first time you submit your group picks, and we email it to you at the same time. Keep that email - it is the only copy we send.
What if I lose my entry code?
Check the email we sent when you first entered; your code is in it. If you still cannot find it, contact the organizer, who can look it up.
Do I need the code the very first time?
No. Your first group-stage submission creates your entry and your code. After that, you need the code plus your email to load or change anything.
Can I change my picks after submitting?
Yes, any time before that phase locks. Re-open the link, enter your email and entry code, and use Load my saved picks (Phase 1) or Load my saved bracket (Phase 2) to pull up what you submitted. Edit it and resubmit. Your latest submission is the one that counts.
Will I lose my group picks if I edit my bracket, or the other way around?
No. The two phases are stored separately and do not overwrite each other.
How does scoring work?
Three parts, 338 points maximum:
- Group stage (96): rank all four teams in each of the 12 groups - exact spot scores 2, one place off scores 1, two or more off scores 0.
- Knockout bracket (142): pick the winner of each knockout tie. Correct picks are worth more the deeper the round - Round of 32 is 2, Round of 16 is 5, Quarter-final is 10, Semi-final is 15.
- Champion (100): 50 points if your up-front title pick wins it all, plus 50 more if the champion at the top of your bracket lifts the trophy.
Why is so much weighting in the knockouts?
By design. A quiet group stage is not the end of the world. Most of the competition is decided later, so it stays interesting deep into the tournament.
Do I really not have to figure out the third-place qualifiers?
Correct. The bracket is built after the groups, with the real qualifiers already slotted in. You just pick winners.
Is there a penalty for entering late?
Yes. An entry submitted after a deadline carries a flat 16-point deduction, taken straight off the total. If you see a small red minus next to a name on the leaderboard, that is a late-entry penalty.
How do I see where I stand?
The leaderboard updates automatically as results are recorded. It is always sorted by rank, with 1st place at the top.
When do my points appear?
Scoring is automatic. Group points update as group results are entered; knockout points update as each round finishes.
What is the "win chance" I see on My Picks?
It is the model's best estimate of your probability of finishing the whole pool in 1st place, shown beside your projected score and labelled "from AI projection." It plays the rest of the tournament out from where things stand right now, scores every entry by the same rules as the leaderboard, and works out how often your bracket ends up on top. A 5% win chance means that, across all the ways the rest of the World Cup could still go, your entry finishes first about one time in twenty.
Where does that number come from - is it just a guess?
No. It works through every match still to be played. For each one it leans on the betting markets' odds (adjusted to strip out the bookmaker's margin) together with a goals-based model, so a strong favourite is treated as a strong favourite and an even tie as close to a coin-toss. It then scores every entry against the possible results. It is a model, not a crystal ball - it cannot know about a red card or an injury before it happens - but it is built on real match odds rather than hunches.
Is the win chance exact, or an estimate?
It depends how far along we are. While a lot of matches are still to come there are far too many possible outcomes to count one by one, so the number is a very close estimate. Once the Round of 32 is complete and the Round of 16 is set, the field is small enough that the model counts every remaining path through the bracket exactly - so from that point on your win chance is a true probability, not a sample.
What is the simulator on the My Picks page?
It is a what-if tool. Set the winner of any match still to be played - send a team to the final, or knock the favourite out - and the bracket, every entry's projected score, and the whole ranking update on the spot. It is the quickest way to see exactly what has to happen for you to move up, and which results you should be cheering for.
Can I compare my bracket against another entry?
Yes. In the simulator, pick another entry to compare against and it lays both bracket runs side by side for whatever scenario you have set up - where you pull ahead, where they do, and the points gap between you. Good for a friendly rivalry.
My win chance is tiny. Am I out of it?
Not necessarily. Because each knockout pick scores on its own and the later rounds are worth the most, a bracket sitting well down the table can still climb a long way if its deep picks come good. The simulator also shows the best finish you could realistically still reach, and the results that would take you there - so there is almost always something left to play for.
How current are the projections?
They refresh as results are recorded and the bracket fills in, on the same automatic cycle as the leaderboard. During a live match the on-screen status can lag real time by a few minutes; the match detail popup on the Dashboard notes this.
Can I see or change other people's picks?
No. You can only open your own entry, and only with your own email and code.
Anything I should not do?
Edit only your own picks, and do not make changes once games are under way. Every submission is timestamped, and each phase is locked at its deadline.
The page says picks are locked. Why?
Both phases are now closed for 2026, so the pick forms are locked. The leaderboard stays viewable either way.
Load my picks says no entry matches that email and code.
Check that you are using the exact email you entered with (it is not case-sensitive) and the right entry code, which is in the email we sent when you first entered. A different email address counts as a different person. If you cannot find your code, contact the organizer.