How It Works

Pool Rules

Everything you need to know before locking in your 7 teams.

The Basics

Pay & Enter

Pay the $25 entry fee via Venmo to @doug-nadel. All money goes directly into the prize pool, no rake.

Pick 7 Teams

Choose any 7 of the 48 World Cup teams before the first kickoff on June 11, 2026. Once locked, no changes.

Earn Points

Score points every time one of your teams wins (or draws). Points are split equally among everyone who picked that team. The fewer people who picked the winner, the more each person earns.

Scoring

Points for each result are split equally among all players who picked the winning (or drawing) team. If you're the only one who picked a winner, you keep all the points. The fewer people who picked that team, the more each person earns.

StagePoints per WinPoints per Draw

Group Stage (per match)100 pts50 pts

Round of 32250 pts-

Round of 16400 pts-

Quarterfinal650 pts-

Semifinal1,000 pts-

Final - Winner1,700 pts-

Example: If 5 players all picked Brazil and Brazil wins a Group Stage match, each earns 100 ÷ 5 = 20 pts. If only 1 player picked them, that player earns the full 100 pts alone.

Strategy Tips

Don't just pick favorites. Everyone picks the top seeds. If they win, you split the points with the crowd. A dark horse that goes on a deep run can be worth far more.

Later rounds are worth more. The Final pays 1,700 pts for a win. Teams that go deep earn you points at every step. Prioritize picks you think can survive into the knockout rounds.

Spread your risk. With 7 picks you have room to mix well-known contenders with a few unpopular sleepers. Even one under-the-radar team that advances can outscore an entire slate of popular favorites.

Tiebreakers

1.Most teams still alive in the tournament
2.Fewest teams eliminated in the group stage