Bracket Game Rules
The short version: pick your winners, have fun, and may the best bracket win.
How It Works
Our Prediction Bracket lets you forecast the entire FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament — from group stage standings through the final. You can enter at any round, but the earlier you start, the more points you can earn.
How to Enter
- Pick your starting round (Group Stage, Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, or Final).
- Make your predictions for each match from your starting round onward.
- Enter your display name and email address, then submit.
- That's it. No account to create, no password to remember.
Scoring
| Round | Points per Correct Pick |
|---|---|
| Group Stage (correct team placement) | 3 points |
| Round of 32 | 3 points |
| Round of 16 | 5 points |
| Quarter-Finals | 8 points |
| Semi-Finals | 12 points |
| Final (correct champion) | 20 points |
Early Entry Bonus
If you enter early, you earn a 1.5x multiplier on all rounds after your entry point. For example, if you enter at the Group Stage, your Round of 32 picks are worth 4.5 points each instead of 3. The earlier you commit, the more you can score — but you're also predicting further into the unknown.
Entries & Edits
- You may submit multiple brackets. Each is scored independently.
- Once a bracket is submitted, it's locked — no edits. This keeps things fair.
- You can enter at any round while the tournament is in progress (rolling entry).
Leaderboard
The public leaderboard shows the top brackets ranked by score. Ties are broken by submission time — earlier submissions rank higher. Your display name is what appears on the board, so pick something you're comfortable sharing.
Prizes
Prizes (if any) will be announced on the World Cup Hub and on our podcasts. We'll contact winners via the email address provided at entry. If we can't reach you, we'll move to the next eligible entry.
Your Email
We collect your email for one reason: to contact you if you win. We will not add you to any mailing list, send you marketing emails, or share your address with anyone — unless you explicitly opt in to World Cup updates when you submit your bracket.
Make sure your email is correct. If you win and we can't reach you, that's on you.
Fair Play
- One person, one identity. Submitting under multiple emails to game the leaderboard isn't cool.
- Keep display names clean. We reserve the right to replace anything offensive.
- We reserve the right to disqualify entries that appear automated or fraudulent.
The Fine Print
This is a free prediction game run by Stolen Water Media for fun and bragging rights. We reserve the right to modify these rules, adjust scoring, or cancel the game at any time. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.