Will there be a World Cup fantasy this year?

[grizzler]

Anyone know?

Looks unlikely so far as we're only 11 days away and there's no mention of it on the site

[Doogal]

There is no Telegraph game, sadly, but a few possibilities, if not that attractive. eg Fifa Official game (no major prizes). Most skilful with big money prizes seems to be Fanteam. A few others you can find by googling/AI.

[lfc71]

I'm sure i saw a couple of wks back a screenshot of someone asking about sdt world cup game at the sdt helpline.

The reply was YES there will be a new game starting straight after the cl final is done

[llama]

I'm sure i saw a couple of wks back a screenshot of someone asking about sdt world cup game at the sdt helpline.

The reply was YES there will be a new game starting straight after the cl final is done

Yeah, someone on Twitter asked and they did reply saying there would be a game.

Patiently waiting over here.

[Maldini]

Who runs the Dream Team game?

Genius Sports who run TFF said there’d be a World Cup game a week or so ago and now that’s been cancelled and they’re not even running a Premier League game next season either.

[Nightowl]

Id say itll be released tomorrow afternoon or wednesday at the latest, squads need to be finalized by 02/06, pretty sure theyll get it out after that

[murf]

Who runs the Dream Team game?

Genius Sports who run TFF said there’d be a World Cup game a week or so ago and now that’s been cancelled and they’re not even running a Premier League game next season either.

Genius Sports ran both apparently....

[aurora]

In years gone by, clever tech guys on here would have looked behind the curtain to see if a game was in the offing, and then tell us back on here.

The fact that they haven't promoted a game at all, like they do with the seasonal, doesn't look good, all squads have been finalised now as well, June 1st was the deadline.

[MADCHESTER UTD]

I’m sure this has been discussed before and I’ve probably just forgot the answer but why don’t Genius sports link up with a big betting company like William Hill? Genius sports could run the game, whilst William Hill could profit from us lot having to open an account for us to enter. And again I don’t understand why they can’t charge £5 a team. Fanteam do it so why can’t William Hill etc? Could maybe be £5 a team, 3 teams for a tenner. They could even do an enter one team free with its own smaller prize pot incase people wanted to play without gambling (think they did that before). The next 2 months we will all be swamped with betting ads on both MSM and social media platforms so I don’t get why the fantasy football avenue has been totally neglected.

They’ve already got the betting in UK license so I don’t see what’s stopping them And it can’t be an issue of “trying not to encourage gambling and the problems that come with it” as there is nothing stopping anyone of us whacking £500 on Mexico winning group A via an app in the next 2 minutes

Basically, if the free DT game model isnt profitable then why not just go back to how it was 15 years ago and that goes for TFF too.

[Maldini]

Because, I suspect, the vast majority of people who play are football fans not gamblers and the entry numbers would drop significantly.
I remember the days of well over 200k+ teams in TFF when it was pay to play but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were less actual players then than what there are now as the big gamblers bought dozens of teams each.

And your second paragraph is quite possibly the most ignorant thing I’ve read this week.

[MADCHESTER UTD]

Because, I suspect, the vast majority of people who play are football fans not gamblers and the entry numbers would drop significantly.
I remember the days of well over 200k+ teams in TFF when it was pay to play but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were less actual players then than what there are now as the big gamblers bought dozens of teams.

And your second paragraph is quite possibly the most ignorant thing I’ve read this week.

On your first point, well it’s obvious TFF n DT games are under threat with the current model. The last few seasons there has been doubts going into the season whether there will be a game or not. If it was highly profitable for Genius sports then they would’ve released a WC DT and TFF game. As I said earlier, they could have free comp with say a £10k prize pot and a separate prize pot for paying teams so everyone and anyone can play including people from countries that don’t allow gambling.

Why am I being ignorant? My point was they can’t preach about “trying not to encourage gambling so we’re not running a fantasy football comp” whilst at the same time bombarding us with World Cup betting odds. What’s the difference between winning or losing £50 playing fantasy football or winning or losing £50 betting on Kane to be golden boot?

[Mystery]

I’m sure this has been discussed before and I’ve probably just forgot the answer but why don’t Genius sports link up with a big betting company like William Hill? Genius sports could run the game, whilst William Hill could profit from us lot having to open an account for us to enter. And again I don’t understand why they can’t charge £5 a team. Fanteam do it so why can’t William Hill etc?

I think for a time they were trying to be the next William Hill. From reading into Genius, I suspect this is a strategic shift away from game running to being a data service provider/ repackager, as whatever they're doing at the moment isn't profitable.

[Maldini]

There isn’t a difference but I, and tens of thousands of others, play Fantasy Football as a hobby and wouldn’t entertain blowing £50 on either.

Others, like yourself, play the game to make money by gambling.

In my opinion, this has been a large contributory factor in the demise of many other games in the past because seeing dozens of teams from the same few multi entry gamblers at the top of the leaderboard year after year, drove the hobbyists away (mainly to FPL as a single entry, free to play game).

[MADCHESTER UTD]

There isn’t a difference but I, and tens of thousands of others, play Fantasy Football as a hobby and wouldn’t entertain blowing £50 on either.

Others, like yourself, play the game to make money by gambling.

In my opinion, this has been a large contributory factor in the demise of many other games in the past because seeing dozens of teams from the same few multi entry gamblers at the top of the leaderboard year after year, drove the hobbyists away (mainly to FPL as a single entry, free to play game).

Right, so you play fantasy football for the purity/enjoyment of the game and I play fantasy football just for the money? So it’s ok for you to play FanTeam where you pay for teams (I see you’ve already got a team in the FT WC game) yet when I do the same it’s simply for the money? do as I say, not as I do eh? FYI I’ve been absolutely mad on fantasy football since it came out like most of us on here so I don’t see why you are trying to take the morale high ground I probably watch 10-15 hours of FF content every week and double that playing around with my teams which I highly enjoy and I have done for decades. I’m not playing solely for the money. Yes I maxed out the 10 teams in DT WC 2018 and the 5 team TFF CL 18/19 when I was fortunate enough to win but then I’m sure most of us did the same, including possibly yourself.

If someone is a casual FF player I don’t see why being up against players who enter multiple teams such as TFF is a problem. A high percentage of those players play coz it’s a work mini league where you’ll only be allowed one team anyhow and they probably aren’t even looking at the overall leaderboards. If anything the demise of DT, TFF was when they stopped the pay to play. Hopefully in the future a balance can be made where casual players and serious players can get responsible enjoyment (I don’t want anyone to get a gambling problem). Casual players can enter a team for free, or pay £5 for one and serious players can enter more if they want. The main reason I commented on the thread in the first place was because I’ll miss there not being a WC DT and TFF and I’m sure many feel the same

[Maldini]

I can assure you that I haven’t paid for a single entry in FanTeam.
I play the free rolls and any paid entries are tickets I’ve won. Won a £10 ticket and two £1 tickets in the final day of the PL Free Roll.

From an investment of precisely nothing, I’ve won somewhere in the region of £1400 though a grand of that was winning the small stake (free ticket) Champions League group stage game a couple of seasons ago.

Whereas you’d probably have ‘invested’ that in more cash entries, I took the Mrs to Napoli.

And to be honest, I’ve no problem with a paid entry game as long as everyone starts on a level playing field of 1/2 team maximum. Somebody with nothing better to do with their money shouldn’t be able to gain an advantage by entering 50 teams. Just my opinion. Might be an unpopular one.

[MADCHESTER UTD]

I can assure you that I haven’t paid for a single entry in FanTeam.
I play the free rolls and any paid entries are tickets I’ve won. Won a £10 ticket and two £1 tickets in the final day of the PL Free Roll.

From an investment of precisely nothing, I’ve won somewhere in the region of £1400 though a grand of that was winning the small stake (free ticket) Champions League group stage game a couple of seasons ago.


Whereas you’d probably have ‘invested’ that in more cash entries, I took the Mrs to Napoli.

Then there is room for us all. The single player entrants and those that don’t spend any money and the likes of me that do. Though my point is people can try and look down on players like me that enter multiple teams in FT but without us it would’ve haemorrhaged even more money and there wouldn’t be a WC game in the first place (that you’re playing).

On your last point I won’t be crude and say what I’ve won FT since summer 2024 but I’ve won significantly more than I’ve spent which has benefited my family so the Napoli holiday argument doesn’t really hold up (though I get that unfortunately some players spend a lot more than they get back).

Anyway, it really would be sad to see their only being FPL in the future which is very possible. All the best in the World Cup game

[Nightowl]

Nearly there only waiting on 2 more squads as turkey have just released theres

[Nightowl]

Plucky paid leagues have just got involved with the sun dream team where they take 10% of all winnings from leagues that you enter, I’m pretty sure they made a good bit from them this year and will be paying to do that to the sun dream team

[plevna1963]

In years gone by, clever tech guys on here would have looked behind the curtain to see if a game was in the offing, and then tell us back on here.

The fact that they haven't promoted a game at all, like they do with the seasonal, doesn't look good, all squads have been finalised now as well, June 1st was the deadline.

Still waiting on 2 other team squads to be released

[plevna1963]

Plucky paid leagues have just got involved with the sun dream team where they take 10% of all winnings from leagues that you enter, I’m pretty sure they made a good bit from them this year and will be paying to do that to the sun dream team

Yeah i entered a couple they did it for TFF as well.

[Maldini]

In years gone by, clever tech guys on here would have looked behind the curtain to see if a game was in the offing, and then tell us back on here.

The fact that they haven't promoted a game at all, like they do with the seasonal, doesn't look good, all squads have been finalised now as well, June 1st was the deadline.

Still waiting on 2 other team squads to be released

I think you’re going to be disappointed. Seems like Genius Sports have pulled the plug.

[plevna1963]

In years gone by, clever tech guys on here would have looked behind the curtain to see if a game was in the offing, and then tell us back on here.

The fact that they haven't promoted a game at all, like they do with the seasonal, doesn't look good, all squads have been finalised now as well, June 1st was the deadline.

Still waiting on 2 other team squads to be released

I think you’re going to be disappointed. Seems like Genius Sports have pulled the plug.

You seen that pal or guessing?

[aurora]

Maybe the sun are trying to get someone else to run it if Genius has suddenly decided they're not running it ? never heard of them til this thread tbh, in the past the game was released before all squads were finalised, as most of the relevant players were known anyway, and then they just added players if they needed to when more squads were released, so not looking good atm, hope I'm wrong.

And to be honest, I’ve no problem with a paid entry game as long as everyone starts on a level playing field of 1/2 team maximum. Somebody with nothing better to do with their money shouldn’t be able to gain an advantage by entering 50 teams. Just my opinion. Might be an unpopular one.

That's not going to happen though is it, when it was paid entry, no matter what the limits, people were getting around it using their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, childrens names to enter more teams.

The problem with the paid entries is not only that, it's that the leaderboard was forever filled up with the same names, the dedicated pros such as your Sandors and the likes clogging up the leaderboard and that became massively off putting for the masses, but moreover, games became free because it was simply more profitable for the all commercial parties involved to maximise the user base instead which lead or leads to more traffic and betting for the sponsors/advertisers.

[Biddles32]

I know of a few mini leagues being run all of which have contacted The Sun HQ regarding the game being launched and all responses state the game will be going live but no specific time/date.

[Biddles32]

Personally I don’t think it’s an issue being launched late, we’re only getting one team and let’s face it we’re all going to jump on similar players. A lot of us will have prices that make sense in our heads, who are playing the Fanteam game. It’s just a case of transferring the value of a player in a 100m, 15 squad format into a 50m team of 11 and making comparisons. Assuming SDT is working on the 50mill , 11 player format again.

[Maldini]

I know of a few mini leagues being run all of which have contacted The Sun HQ regarding the game being launched and all responses state the game will be going live but no specific time/date.

Up until yesterday, the Telegraph were saying the same.

Don’t you think it’s odd that with just 9 days to go there’s not been a single thing posted on their website or socials about a World Cup game?

[Biddles32]

I do think it’s odd yes, and I have no clue why it’s like this. I know a lot of people been chucking money into mini leagues are the probably thinking the same.

The responses from message/emails to the Sun have all indicated it’s going ahead though, one of which I seen screen shot onto a what’s app group today.

[aurora]

Maybe we should just all storm Sun HQ in Wapping with our pitch forks and angry placards demanding they give us a game this summer, we need our fix

[lfc71]

Typical sdt,always last to the party!!

[aurora]

I was looking back at the last World Cup thread from 2022.

It was said the game went live on 31st October
Most Squads for that World Cup were announced around 9th - 13th November
World Cup started on the 20th November

So the game was launched long before any squads were announced and apparently they had promotion on their facebook page long before it started as well.
Now all squads have been announced for 2026 and still nothing.

Doesn't look like it's happening tbh, obviously hope I'm wrong but it starts Next Thursday !