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Engine internals, tournament analysis, and data stories. Built around the WC 2026 Simulator.


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Analysis

World Cup 2026: How the First Round Reshaped Qualification Paths More Than the Title Race

A 20k baseline-vs-current simulation comparison after every team played once shows that the biggest early movement happened in qualification routes, especially in the best-third race.

Jun 18, 2026
Analysis

How WC26 Third-Place Teams Qualify

100,000 simulations show exactly how many points and how much goal difference a third-placed team needs to survive the best-eight cut. The margin between advancing and going home is often a single goal.

Jun 11, 2026
Analysis

WC26 Third-Place Bracket Routing Rules

A closer look at how the 2026 World Cup third-place routing table works, why Annex C matters, and why general opponent pools can mislead.

Jun 11, 2026
Analysis

The 2026 World Cup Is a Path Problem

48 teams, 12 groups, a Round of 32, and 495 ways the bracket can resolve. The 2026 World Cup isn't just bigger: it's a path problem. Here's why, and how the WC26 Simulator makes every team's path visible.

Jun 8, 2026
Guide

How to use the WC26 Simulator to explore tournament paths

A practical guide to using the WC26 Simulator for group probabilities, knockout path analysis, matchup frequencies, and better Fan Zone picks.

Jun 5, 2026
Guide

WC26 Third-Place Qualification Explained

The 2026 World Cup adds a third-place qualification round. Here is how 12 groups become 32 knockout teams, and why predicting the best third-placed teams matters.

Jun 5, 2026
Feature

Introducing the WC 2026 Simulator: Run 1,000 World Cups in Seconds

Simulate the entire FIFA World Cup 2026. All 48 teams, 1,248 players, and 104 matches. With a Monte Carlo engine powered by real squad ratings.

Apr 13, 2026
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