Rules for the 2026 World Cup Prediction Contest on K10

The 2026 World Cup is here, and the K10 Prediction Game is ready to make every game even more exciting. But before you start making your predictions, it's important to understand the rules.

In this post, we explain everything: game modes, scoring, bonuses, and tiebreakers.

Choose your game mode.

When creating a group, the administrator chooses one of two available modes. This choice determines how many games you will predict and how the points accumulate throughout the tournament.

Full Mode 🔥

For football fanatics. You can make predictions on all 104 World Cup matches, from the group stage to the grand final. The points awarded increase significantly with each stage — the further the tournament goes, the more each prediction is worth.

Compact Mode ⚡

Ideal for those who want to play without getting lost in the details. In the group stage, you only make predictions on matches involving the 12 seeded teams. From the Round of 32 onwards, all matches are available, all matches are unlocked. In total, there are 68 matches.

ATTENTION: DEADLINE FOR PREDICTIONS

You have up to 15 minutes before the start of each match to register or change your prediction. After this time, the game is locked and no changes can be made.

How much is each prediction worth?

The base score is the same in both modes. What changes is the multiplier per stage, which we will see below.

9 points — Exact score You correctly predicted the exact score of the match. Example: prediction 2-1, result 2-1.

6 points — Winner + winner's goals. You correctly predicted the winner and the number of goals they scored. Example: prediction 3x1, result 3x0.

5 points — Winner + loser's goals, or a draw without an exact score. You correctly predicted the winner and the loser's goals, or you correctly predicted a draw but got the score wrong. Example: prediction 2-0, result 3-0.

4 points — Winner + goal difference You correctly predicted the winner and the goal difference, but not the individual goals. Example: prediction 2x1, result 1x0 (both with a goal difference of +1).

3 points — Only the winner. You correctly predicted who won, but got everything else wrong. Example: prediction 3x1, result 1x0.

1 point — Goals scored by one team. You predicted the winner wrong, but correctly predicted the number of goals scored by one of the teams. Example: prediction 3x4, result 3x0.

0 points — Wrong prediction. You were completely wrong. Example: prediction 1x4, result 3x0.

SCORING BY STAGE — FULL MODE

Points increase with each stage. An exact score in the Final is worth more than double the exact score of a group stage score.

	Phase 1	R32	R16	QF	SF	3rd	Final
Exact score	9	11	13	14	16	18	23
Winner + winner's goals	6	7	8	10	11	12	15
Winner + loser's goals	5	6	7	8	9	10	13
Winner + goal difference	4	5	6	6	7	8	10
Only the winner	3	4	4	5	5	6	8
Goals from 1 team	1	1	1	2	2	2	3

SCORING BY STAGE — COMPACT MODE

The progression is more linear, ideal for beginner groups.

	Phase 1	R32	R16	QF	SF	3rd	Final
Exact score	9	10	11	12	13	14	18
Winner + winner's goals	6	7	7	8	8	10	12
Winner + loser's goals	5	6	6	7	7	8	10
Winner + goal difference	4	4	5	5	6	6	8
Only the winner	3	3	4	4	4	5	6
Goals from 1 team	1	1	1	1	1	2	2

THE 12 SEEDED TEAMS - COMPACT MODE

In the Compact Mode group stage, you can only predict matches that involve at least one of the following teams:

Mexico · Canada · Brazil · USA · Germany · Netherlands · Belgium · Spain · France · Argentina · Portugal · England

From the knockout stage (Round of 32) onwards, all matches are open for prediction.

BONUS PREDICTIONS: TOP 4 AND TOP SCORERS

Before the tournament begins, you also make two special predictions that add extra points to your ranking at the end of the Cup.

Top 4 Teams

Predict the four teams that will finish in the top 4.

8 points — selection in the exact position (e.g., predicted Brazil in 1st place and it ended up in 1st place)

4 points — selection in the top 4, but not in the indicated position (e.g., indicated Brazil in 1st place and it ended up in 4th)

0 points — selection outside the top 4

Maximum score: 32 points.

Top 3 Goalscorers

Name the three top scorers in the tournament and their positions.

8 points — top scorer in the exact position (e.g., Mbappé was predicted to be 1st and he finished 1st)

4 points — player in the top 3, but not in the indicated position (e.g., Mbappé was indicated as 1st but finished 2nd)

0 points — player outside the top 3

Maximum score: 24 points.

How is the total score calculated?

Your ranking position is the sum of three parts:

1. Points for game predictions (with multiplier per phase and mode)

2. Points for the Top 4 Teams (up to 32 points)

3. Points for the Top 3 Goalscorers (up to 24 points)

TIE-BREAKING CRITERIA

If two players finish with the same total score, their ranking position is determined in this order:

1. Whoever has the most correct score predictions (9 points) comes out on top.

2. Whoever has the most points in the games of their chosen "Favorite Team" (defined in the registration).

3. Whoever correctly predicts the outcome (win or draw), regardless of the score.

4. If the score remains tied, the winner is the person who registered first in the group.

PRIZES

K10 believes that a great prediction contest goes beyond just the top three finishers. That's why the app automatically calculates and organizes winners across six different categories, encouraging each group to create prizes for all of them:

🥇 Overall Champion The participant with the highest total score at the end of the tournament.

🥈 Overall Runner-Up The participant with the second highest total score.

🥉 Overall Third Place The participant with the third highest total score.

⚽ Best of the Group Stage The participant with the highest score during the group stage.

⚔️ Best of the Knockout Stage The participant with the highest score during the knockout rounds.

❤️ Best Favorite Team The participant with the highest score in the matches of the team they chose as their Favorite Team at registration.

CONCLUSION

Now you know everything you need to compete in the K10 prediction contest during the 2026 World Cup. Create your group, invite your friends, and may the best predictor win.

Access the app and start now.