With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, fans around the world are starting to put their preparations in place for how they will experience the tournament hosted in North America this summer.

Whether it’s opening sticker packs or card packs, watching at home or at a bar, people will have their own rituals and ways of enjoying the biggest competition in football.

Then there are the Fantasy Football managers, who pit themselves against their friends and the rest of the world by selecting a team of players they think can score enough points to win.

It’s an online game that has been popular among Premier League and Champions League fans, spreading across leagues and sports, and not even the World Cup is safe from its own version of the game.

So, with that said, here’s a look at everything you need to know about World Cup Fantasy Football.

World Cup Fantasy Football works similar to most other games in the genre, as managers get an opportunity to pick a squad of 15 players, with a starting 11 that will land them points.

What Positions Managers Can Pick

• 2x Goalkeepers
• 5x Defenders
• 5x Midfielders
• 3x Forwards

Fantasy Budget And Restrictions

Managers can pick a maximum of three players per country for the group stage and round of 32, but this increases to four for the round of 16, five for the quarter-final, six for the semi-final, and eight for the final.

As for the budget, each manager will get $100 million to start with, while budgets will increase as the tournament progresses to account for the high-value players that are likely to remain as it continues.

The value of these players will be determined before the competition starts, and they won’t increase or decrease based on performances, like some other fantasy games.

There are captains and vice-captains, who will have their points doubled after you pick them. You can change a captain mid-round, but you won’t be able to put the captaincy back on a player who has already played.

Team Changes And Strategy

One key difference with World Cup Fantasy Football is the ongoing nature of a round, as it equates to one round of fixtures in each part of the tournament.

For example, there are 24 games in the first round that last roughly a week, meaning it would be a long time to lock in the same team and not touch it.

Therefore, World Cup Fantasy Football allows managers to change their team and substitutes, but only if a player is unlocked, meaning their game hasn’t been played.

Any player who is locked on the substitutes’ bench won’t be able to come on, because their game has been played, so anyone that is substituted must do so with caution.

It means setting up your team with that in mind for each round is important, but it allows the manager to have some ongoing control.

In terms of transfers, there are unlimited changes allowed pre-tournament, while the group stages only allow for two transfers per round. There are then unlimited transfers allowed once again in the round of 32 phase, before four transfers for the round of 16 and quarter-finals, with five before the semi-final and six for the final. Exceeding the limit will deduct three points for every extra transfer completed.

What Boosters Are There?

In Fantasy Football games, it is common to include some sort of booster item, sometimes known as chips, that allow managers some variation in how they control their teams.

There will be five boosters available during World Cup Fantasy Football, with only one of them allowed to be used in any given round, so they do not stack.

The World Cup fantasy boosters are:

• Wildcard
• 12th Man
• Maximum Captain
• Qualification Booster
• Mystery Booster

The Wildcard allows for unlimited transfers, but this cannot be used for round one, due to unlimited transfers already being in place pre-tournament, nor for the round of 32 for the same reason.

The 12th Man booster will draft in another player to score points for the team, with any player not already part of the squad being eligible for selection. Budget and team restrictions are not a factor for this booster.

Maximum Captain will assign the captaincy to your highest-scoring player at the end of the round, removing some of the guesswork in predicting the best captaincy option.

Qualification Booster can only be used from the round of 32 onwards, but it grants two extra points to any player who progresses to the next round of the competition, so long as they make an appearance in the game. It’s worth noting that the captaincy does not double the qualification bonus.

As for the Mystery Booster, that will be revealed after the end of the group stage.

How Points Are Scored

Points can be earned, or lost, in several different ways and while there are general points every player can get, there are position-specific point boosts too.

All players can earn:

Goalkeepers earn these specific points:

Defenders earn these specific points:

Midfielders earn these specific points:

Forwards earn these specific points:

Best Players to Pick

When it comes to picking the best players, there are several factors that need to be weighed up. There are the teams they play in and their strengths, the opposition they face, how they maximise points and their budget.

The best teams will balance the high-scoring meta picks, who will often be expensive, with the low-cost budget options who are able to punch well above their weight.

Here’s a look at a few good options you could throw in your team now.

Marc Cucurella (Spain) – $5.1m

An almost guaranteed pick at left-back for Spain, Marc Cucurella is a player who may surprise a few with his inclusion over someone like Pedro Porro, who has slightly more attacking prowess. The Chelsea star comes in at $0.4m cheaper than his Tottenham counterpart, however, and unlocks an option in the Spain backline.

La Roja have Cape Verde up first, a match that should land them a clean sheet if things go as many expect, while Cucurella isn’t lacking in attacking dynamism.

Nuno Mendes (Portugal) – $5.8m

Looking on the more expensive side, Portugal star Nuno Mendes looks set to be a popular pick for the tournament, and for good reason too.

The left-back has searing pace and trickery that often see him play more like a winger than a defender, and with favourable games against Uzbekistan, DR Congo, and Colombia, he should rack up clean sheets and goal involvements.

Michael Olise (France) – $9.5m

Michael Olise has been performing at a top level for Bayern Munich in recent months, and he may well translate that into the World Cup with a France team that looks scarily strong.

The winger is the joint-second most expensive player in the midfield ranks, but his ability to score and assist can’t be questioned, and he remains a top option.

Raphinha (Brazil) – $8.2m

When it comes to Brazil, most managers may be drawn to Vinicius Jr, but at $10m, he could be an extremely expensive option, considering Raphinha is available for $1.8m cheaper.

The winger is returning from injury after an impressive season with Barcelona and could be the key for Carlo Ancelotti‘s side to unlock the game.

Kylian Mbappe (France) – $10.5m

Don’t let the chaos at Real Madrid cloud the fact that Kylian Mbappe remains an elite player at the very top of the game.

The forward won the last golden boot at the World Cup, scoring eight goals in 2022 on the way to a defeat to Argentina in the final in Qatar.

While the price tag may put some people off, he’s almost certainly guaranteed goals.

Erling Haaland (Norway) – $10.5m

There may be some apprehension over picking Erling Haaland, because of Norway’s lack of recent World Cup participation, but the forward is as clinical as they come. Few come remotely close to his international record, with 55 goals scored in 49 caps for his country at the time of writing.

An opening match against Iraq looks filled with points on offer for the Manchester City man, while there is an option to pivot away from him easily due to the high price tag.

There is always an element of luck that creeps into Fantasy Football games, but there are certainly ways of playing that increase the chances of winning a league.

Use Starting Players & Be Ready to Change

One main tip to take on board for the World Cup Fantasy Football game is to put out a starting 11 that has games playing first, then switch them around if needed.

Players on the bench who have already played are locked and cannot be brought on later, so even if you have better players in the squad available, always start those who play first. They might surprise you with a good points haul. If not, you can change them before your squad options play later.

Use Your Boosters

Don’t be too stingy with your boosters either. There are five boosters to be spread across eight different rounds through the tournament. Keeping all of them for later in the tournament reduces the amount of flexibility available to make moves that will maximise points.

Time Your Booster Use Wisely

Timing the Wildcard Booster will be key to victory. There are reduced opportunities to use this booster, because it cannot be used going into round one or the round of 32, as unlimited transfers are available.

That reduces the chance of making changes down to just six possible rounds. But even then, a game like the final may reduce the player pool available, while the increased transfers later in the tournament may allow other players to make similar moves to the team and reduce the Wildcard’s effectiveness.

One option may be to play it before round three, using it as an opportunity to free hit the team into something for just the final group game, before changing it again with unlimited transfers for the round of 32.

Another option may be to use it around the quarter-final stage, as there will still be eight teams in contention, giving some variety in players available, while it is also two rounds on from the last use of unlimited transfers.

Useful World Cup links

There are plenty of ways to watch the World Cup, but doing so with a sweepstake and a vested interest in the tournament may take it to the next level.

A sweepstake takes participants and throws them into a random draw to decide who will get a certain team to follow throughout the competition in hopes of winning.

There is often a prize pool of money available to participants (though it isn’t necessary to have fun), adding an extra layer of competitiveness to the World Cup, as fans cheer on the team they have been drawn in this game of chance.

Considering putting one together for your office or friends? GIVEMESPORT brings you a step-by-step guide on how to play a World Cup sweepstake.

How To Do A World Cup Sweepstake

1. Set An Entry Fee Or Prize

The first step is to set up an entry fee or a prize for the participants. This will give people an idea of what is at stake and whether they want to join.

The prize can be money, an item, or simply bragging rights (which, for some people is the most important!) Pick whatever is comfortable. It’s also worth considering how to divide the prize pot, and whether there will be a prize on offer for second and third place, or simply the winner.

2. Determine Entrants

It’s then important to find who is going to take part in the World Cup sweepstake, as this will likely determine how the teams are drawn out.

With it being a 48-team tournament, as many as 48 people could join in to make sure everyone has an individual team selected to cheer on.

If there are fewer than 48 people, it may be worth looking at if there could be multiple teams that could be drawn per person to ensure that there are as many teams being cheered on as possible. I.e. 24 participants may have two teams drawn out randomly each, 12 participants may have three teams drawn out each etc.

3. Draw The Teams

The next task to consider is how to draw out the teams to ensure that it is done randomly, and with some trust from those involved in the process.

One option is to do it physically. Each team can be written down on a piece of paper and torn into individual pieces, put into a hat, and drawn out at random. There are also kits online that can be printed out and cut to skip the writing part.

Another option is to use a random generator app or website to help pick which person has each team.

4. Keep Track

As the draw is ongoing, it’s worth keeping track of what team, or teams, each person receives so it is easier to see who is still in contention, and who is knocked out of the competition.

This may be done in a physical notebook, an online chart, or on a spreadsheet to keep track of who takes on who in the following rounds.

5. Reward The Winner!

Once the tournament has come to a close, make sure that whatever prize was set out at the start is given to the winner, and the other participants, if there is more than just one person who lands a prize.

World Cup Sweepstake Apps

If it’s difficult to do a physical drawing of teams for a sweepstake, then using an app or online tool may be best to help pick sides for every participant.

Sweeper is a popular app used for such occasions, as it features several different sports and formats that can be drawn.

Beyond that lineupbuilder, Sweepzy, and Sweepstake Generator all have the function as online websites that can create a sweepstake for fans.

There are also several random name pickers that can be used, such as Wheel of Names, with one wheel spin being for the participant, and another for the team they will receive.

Useful Links for a World Cup Sweepstake

Below are some useful World Cup links to bookmark if you’re doing a sweepstake. Good luck!

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have been teasing a contest between themselves for 10 years, and now, the two British heavyweight boxing titans have finally set a date with the match-up taking place later this year.

Joshua is set to fight a warm-up bout against the Albanian heavyweight boxer Kristian Prenga on the 25th of July. In his professional career, Prenga has taken 20 wins and lost once, suffering a point deduction and then losing on points to Dutchman Giovanni Auriemma in the Netherlands. All of his wins, meanwhile, have come by way of knockout.

He won by technical knockout against the American Joey Dawejko in the fifth round, for what is hailed as the biggest win of his careerto date. Joshua will go into the fight as the clear favourite, but Prenga won’t be willing to make it easy.

Joshua hasn’t stepped into a ring since he beat YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round on the 19th of December 2025. Just 10 days after the fight, the Brit was involved in a car accident in Nigeria which resulted in the death of two of his friends, who were also members of his team; his strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami and his personal trainer Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele. Thankfully, the 36-year-old’s injuries were non-life-threatening, and he was treated in the hospital, but he has taken some time to recuperate.

Fury, on the other hand, returned from retirement for a comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov, outboxing the Russian with ease to win via unanimous decision. His 16-month sabbatical was self-imposed following two defeats to the current unified heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, with the Ukrainian defeating him on points both times, but The Gypsy King was unfazed by Makhmudov, whose boxing record stood at 21 wins in comparison to Fury’s 34.

While Joshua’s opponent for his warm-up fight has been announced, the same cannot be said for Fury, who is set to compete once more before the two battle it out.

Tyson Fury’s Warm-Up Fight For Anthony Joshua

Various opponents have been suggested, including the former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr and Jarrell Miller, who held regional heavyweight boxing titles in North America and has 28 wins with 22 by way of knockout.

Ruiz Jr, however, has been ruled out as an opponent by Fury’s manager Frank Warren, who claimed that the money he had asked for was ‘ridiculous.’

Joshua has taken it upon himself to suggest an opponent for Fury and the man he has chosen is Moses Itauma.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Joshua said: “Is he fighting Itauma? He [Fury] was saying to me when I was looking for an opponent, ‘fight [Fabio] Wardley, fight Itauma, these fights are easy to be made.’

Itauma has held the Commonwealth heavyweight title since 2025, beating Dillian Whyte by TKO in one minute and 59 seconds of the first round.

The 21-year-old has 14 wins to his name, but could be too sprightly for the 37-year-old Fury to handle. The Brit impressed against Whyte with a dominant display, using his youth, speed, and power to trounce his opponent and force him onto the ropes.

The Slovakian-born fighter then knocked out Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round of their tussle, Franklin’s first loss via knockout. Itauma had put his opponent down in the third round with another dominant display, showing his skill and stamina.

Itauma has shown that he is not to be trifled with, and The Gypsy King should be wary of the young boxer’s ferocious power if they are to meet in the ring, with many hailing him as a future world heavyweight champion.

A fight between the two is highly unlikely, though, with Fury’s team searching for a less dangerous opponent. This is a huge credit to Itauma, who is set to take on the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Filip Hrgovic in the summer.

With Fury’s interim fight likely approaching, a challenger will need to be chosen, and fast, so that preparations can begin. But the question on everyone’s lips is who will be touching gloves with Fury in a few months’ time?