Pool rules

2026 World Cup Survivor Pool Rules

$10 per entry, payable to @Joshua-Bremer on Venmo. You may purchase as many entries as you like.

Quick rules

Each round you must pick one team playing in that round.
Picks survive on a win or draw in the group stage; knockouts require a win.
Group stage: two losses and you're out. Knockout stage: one loss and you're out.
Once you pick a team you can't pick them again — except via revival picks (see details below).
If you reach the knockout stage you earn revival picks: one revival pick if you had one group-stage loss, two if you finished group stage undefeated. More details below.

Picks lock at kickoff of the first match in the pick round. After kickoff, no picks or changes are allowed for that round.
Admins open rounds and may notify players when a round is open. You may submit or update picks while the round is open; the latest valid submission before lock is official.
If you have trouble submitting picks, email joshua.bremer@gmail.com immediately and admins will assist.

One pick per round. A pick must be a team playing in that round.
Reusing a team from an earlier round is invalid unless you explicitly spend a revival when submitting the pick.
If an invalid pick is submitted before the round locks you may correct it before kickoff. If it is submitted after lock or discovered later, admins will rule it invalid and that round will be counted as a loss for that entry.
Software will enforce rules where possible, but admin rulings are final. If a bug or exploit permits an invalid or duplicate pick, that pick remains invalid and will be corrected by admins.

Group stage: a pick survives on a win or draw. Two losses in the group stage eliminate the entry.
Knockout stage: a pick survives only if the team wins the match (including extra time or penalties). One loss in the knockout stage eliminates the entry.
An invalid pick counts as a loss for that round.

Revival picks allow you to reuse a team you picked in the group stage one time during the knockout stage. Each revival is single-use; the same team cannot be revived twice.
Allocation: when you reach the knockout stage you receive revivals based on your group-stage record: undefeated = 2 revivals; one loss = 1 revival.
When reusing a previously picked team in a knockout pick you must explicitly use (spend) a revival at submission time; otherwise the pick is invalid.
Example: You picked Switzerland in Pick 3 (group). You finish the group stage with one loss, earning 1 revival. In the Round of 16 you may pick Switzerland again by spending your revival; that revival is then consumed.

The winner(s) are the last surviving entry or entries (no tiebreakers). If multiple players survive to the same final round, they split the combined prize for the places they occupy equally.
Payouts: 1st = 60%, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 10%. If two players tie for 1st they split the 1st+2nd amounts equally, etc.

Admins will decide how postponed or cancelled matches affect picks. Typically the result when the match is played will be used; if a match is cancelled without result, admins will determine a fair resolution.

Contact: email joshua.bremer@gmail.com for pick problems.
Software is the primary enforcement mechanism, but admins have final authority. Rules here override any software behavior; if the software fails or is exploited, admins will correct results to match these rules.
Admin decisions are final to preserve fairness and timely payout.

Picks 1-10

Win or draw survives

Picks 11-19

Must win to advance