How do I enter?
Entry is closed for this year and the tournament is under way. Head to the leaderboard to follow the standings, or My Picks to see your bracket. For reference, entry ran in two phases: group-stage picks first, then the knockout bracket once the qualifiers were set.
Do I need an entry code?
Yes. Each time you start an entry, it gets its own entry code, shown on screen right after you submit your group picks. Save it right then - it is not emailed, so that screen is your only copy. You need that code together with your email to load or change that entry in either phase, and it keeps anyone else from seeing or editing it. Since you can enter more than once, keep the code for each entry.
Why are there two separate links?
Phase 2's bracket can only be built once the group stage finishes and the real qualifiers are known. So you pick groups first, then come back later for the bracket.
How does this support UNB Reds women's soccer?
The Go Reds WC26 Challenge is a fundraiser for the UNB Varsity Reds women's soccer program. Every entry is a donation that goes directly to the team.
How much is an entry, and how do I pay?
Each entry is a $25 donation to the UNB Varsity Reds women's soccer team, by Interac e-Transfer to wsoccer@unb.ca. In the e-Transfer message, include the name you entered with so your payment can be matched to your entry. One $25 transfer per entry.
Can I enter more than once?
Yes. Enter as many times as you like - each entry is a separate $25 donation, and each one gets its own entry code. A tip: give each entry a slightly different name (for example 'Sam - safe picks' and 'Sam - long shots') so you can tell them apart on the leaderboard, and save the code for each one as it appears.
When did Phase 1 lock?
At midnight on June 10th, when the group stage kicked off. Group picks are locked now.
When did Phase 2 open and lock?
It opened once the groups wrapped and the qualifiers were set, and locked when the Round of 32 kicked off on June 28th.
What happens if I miss a deadline?
Once a phase locks, that form is closed and picks cannot be submitted or changed for it. The phases lock independently, so missing one does not affect the other.
What is the entry code for?
It is your key. Together with your email, it lets you load your saved picks and make changes, and it stops anyone else from opening or editing your entry.
Where do I find it?
It appears on screen the moment you submit that entry's group picks. Save it right then - take a screenshot or write it down. It is not emailed, so that is the only time you will see it.
What if I lose my entry code?
Codes are not emailed, so if you did not save the one shown on screen, contact the team at wsoccer@unb.ca. They keep a record of entries and can look yours up.
Do I need the code the very first time?
No. Submitting an entry's group picks creates that entry and its code. After that, you need the code plus your email to load or change it.
Can I still change my picks?
No - both phases are locked now, so picks can no longer be submitted or changed. Whatever you had in before each deadline is what counts. You can still sign in on My Picks with your email and entry code to see your group picks and bracket.
Will I lose my group picks if I edit my bracket, or the other way around?
No. The two phases are stored separately and do not overwrite each other.
How does scoring work?
Three parts, 338 points maximum:
- Group stage (96): rank all four teams in each of the 12 groups. Exact spot scores 2 points, one place off scores 1, two or more off scores 0.
- Up-front champion (50): your title pick, locked in before kickoff. It is separate from your bracket champion below, so backing the same team in both is worth 100 if they win it all.
- Knockout bracket (192): you pick the winner of every tie, and each correct pick scores on its own, so getting one wrong does not cost you the later rounds. Round of 32 is 2, Round of 16 is 5, Quarter-final is 10, Semi-final is 15. Your bracket champion - the team you pick to win the final - is worth 50 if they lift the trophy.
Why is so much weighting in the knockouts?
By design. A quiet group stage is not the end of the world. Most of the competition is decided later, so it stays interesting deep into the tournament.
Do I really not have to figure out the third-place qualifiers?
Correct. The bracket is built after the groups, with the real qualifiers already slotted in. You just pick winners. There is no working out which third-placed teams advance or where they land.
How do I see where I stand?
The leaderboard updates automatically as entries come in and as results are recorded. It is always sorted by rank, with 1st place at the top.
When do my points appear?
Scoring is automatic. Group points update as group results are entered; knockout points update as each round finishes.
What is the "win chance" I see on My Picks?
It is the model's best estimate of your probability of finishing the whole challenge in 1st place, shown beside your projected score and labelled "from AI projection." It plays the rest of the tournament out from where things stand right now, scores every entry by the same rules as the leaderboard, and works out how often your bracket ends up on top. A 5% win chance means that, across all the ways the rest of the World Cup could still go, your entry finishes first about one time in twenty.
Where does that number come from - is it just a guess?
No. It works through every match still to be played. For each one it leans on the betting markets' odds (adjusted to strip out the bookmaker's margin) together with a goals-based model, so a strong favourite is treated as a strong favourite and an even tie as close to a coin-toss. It then scores every entry against the possible results. It is a model, not a crystal ball - it cannot know about a red card or an injury before it happens - but it is built on real match odds rather than hunches.
Is the win chance exact, or an estimate?
It depends how far along we are. While a lot of matches are still to come there are far too many possible outcomes to count one by one, so the number is a very close estimate. Once the Round of 32 is complete and the Round of 16 is set, the field is small enough that the model counts every remaining path through the bracket exactly - so from that point on your win chance is a true probability, not a sample.
What is the simulator on the My Picks page?
It is a what-if tool. Set the winner of any match still to be played - send a team to the final, or knock the favourite out - and the bracket, every entry's projected score, and the whole ranking update on the spot. It is the quickest way to see exactly what has to happen for you to move up, and which results you should be cheering for.
Can I compare my bracket against another entry?
Yes. In the simulator, pick another entry to compare against and it lays both bracket runs side by side for whatever scenario you have set up - where you pull ahead, where they do, and the points gap between you. Good for a friendly rivalry.
My win chance is tiny. Am I out of it?
Not necessarily. Because each knockout pick scores on its own and the later rounds are worth the most, a bracket sitting well down the table can still climb a long way if its deep picks come good. The simulator also shows the best finish you could realistically still reach, and the results that would take you there - so there is almost always something left to play for.
How current are the projections?
They refresh as results are recorded and the bracket fills in, on the same automatic cycle as the leaderboard. During a live match the on-screen status can lag real time by a few minutes; the match detail popup on the Dashboard notes this.
Can I see or change other people's picks?
No. An entry can only be opened with the email and code it was created with.
Anything I should not do?
Edit only your own picks, and do not make changes once games are under way. Every submission is timestamped, and each phase is locked at its deadline.
The page says picks are locked. Why?
That phase has hit its deadline, or it has not opened yet. The leaderboard stays viewable either way.
"Load my picks" says no entry matches that email and code.
Check that you are using the exact email and entry code for that entry. The email is not case-sensitive, and the code is the one shown on screen when you created the entry. If you cannot find your code, contact the team at wsoccer@unb.ca.
Who do I contact for help?
For questions about your entry or donation, contact the UNB Reds women's soccer team at wsoccer@unb.ca.