How it works
Group-stage trial: right now we're warming up on the group games. Everything resets before the knockout stage begins, and every player restarts with 100 credits. The £2,000 competition runs on the knockout rounds only; group-stage results don't count towards prizes. Your account and invite history carry over.
The game
Knockout 26 is completely free. You get 100 credits when you sign up, and can claim 10 more each day, capped at 500 for the tournament, which is the same maximum for every player. Credits have no monetary value and can never be bought.
Betting
Bet 5–50 credits per pick on the match result (home, draw, away), over/under 2.5 goals, or both teams to score, at the odds shown when you place the bet. Bets lock at kick-off and can't be changed. All markets settle on the score after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties don't count. Abandoned matches are void and stakes returned.
Prizes
Guaranteed £2,000 pot: £1,000 for 1st, £500 for 2nd, £250 for 3rd on the PnL leaderboard at the end of the final, plus five £50 prizes drawn at random among all other prize-eligible players (top-3 winners are excluded, so the draw belongs to everyone else). The draw is run with a published, auditable method after the final. Prizes may increase, never decrease. To be prize-eligible you need at least 8 settled bets, at least 200 credits staked, and an account created before the first quarter-final kicks off. Equal credit totals are split by countback, in order: profit measured at exact odds before rounding; then return on stake (same profit off fewer credits staked wins); then whoever locked in their final bet earliest. Every position on the board is decided, so prizes never need to be shared.
Fair play
One account per person, registered with your own social identity. Duplicate or coordinated accounts forfeit prizes. The top of the leaderboard is reviewed before prizes are paid.
Public by design
Your display name, social link (optional) and full bet history are public. That's the game: your record is your reputation.
18+
You must be 18 or over to play. Although no real money is ever staked, this game is about betting; if gambling is a problem for you or someone close to you, support is available at GamCare (gamcare.org.uk) and the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
Full terms and conditions: [link to hosted T&Cs after legal review]. Not affiliated with FIFA. Promoter: [legal name and contact].