FanPick Blog
Latest news and insights
Expected Points (xPts) — How to Turn xG into League Table Predictions
Learn how Expected Points (xPts) converts match-level xG into season-long league table predictions using the Poisson distribution. Six seasons of EPL data included.
July 8, 2026
World Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals — The Four Tactical Duels That Will Decide the Semi-Finalists
A tactical deep-dive into the four World Cup 2026 quarter-final matchups — how each manager’s philosophy will clash and which tactical battles will decide who reaches the semi-finals.
July 8, 2026
How the World Cup Became the Most-Watched Event on Earth — From Flickering Black-and-White Screens to 5 Billion Digital Viewers
From a few thousand black-and-white TV sets in 1954 to billions of screens in 2026, the World Cup’s broadcasting journey mirrors globalization itself.
July 8, 2026
Cooling Breaks at the World Cup 2026 — How Heat, Science, and Tactics Collide on Football’s Biggest Stage
FIFA made cooling breaks mandatory at the 2026 World Cup. Here’s how heat protocols work, why they matter for tactics, and what every fan should know.
July 8, 2026
FanPick Community Vote for the Quarter-Finals — How to Read the Crowd’s Predictions and Spot Upsets
Over 251,000 fans voted in FanPick’s Community Vote. Four of the top 10 most-backed teams are already eliminated. Here’s how to read the crowd’s blind spots for the QF.
July 7, 2026
Neural Networks and Deep Learning for Football Predictions — How AI Models Are Changing the Game
Explore how neural networks and deep learning are transforming football prediction. From CNNs to Transformers, learn which AI architectures actually work and how to apply them.
July 7, 2026
World Cup 2026 Round of 16 \u2014 Results, Upsets, and the Road to the Quarter-Finals
All six completed Round of 16 results from World Cup 2026: Norway stun Brazil, co-hosts eliminated, and confirmed quarter-final matchups.
July 7, 2026
World Cup Prize Money — From $0 to $871 Million in 96 Years
From $0 in 1930 to $871 million in 2026: how the World Cup became football’s biggest payday. Every tournament’s prize pool, what the champions earned, and what the money means for global football.
July 7, 2026
FanPick’s Match Analysis — How to Read Tactical Breakdowns and Make Data-Driven Predictions
Most prediction platforms leave you guessing. FanPick’s Expert Match Analysis gives you tactical breakdowns, key player profiles, and upset alerts before every match.
July 6, 2026
The Handball Rule in Football Explained — Why It’s the Most Debated Law in the Game
No rule in football provokes more arguments than handball. From Maradona’s Hand of God to VAR-era penalty chaos, here’s how the handball law actually works.
July 6, 2026
Bayesian Updating for Football Predictions — How to Revise Your Beliefs Match by Match
Every football prediction is a guess dressed up as certainty. Bayesian thinking strips away that pretense. Learn how to update your beliefs match by match using Bayes’ theorem, Elo ratings, and the Dixon-Coles model.
July 6, 2026
World Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals Preview — The 8 Teams Chasing Glory
All four World Cup 2026 quarter-finals previewed: France vs Morocco, Spain/Portugal vs USA/Belgium, Argentina vs Egypt, Switzerland vs Colombia. Form, key players, and predictions.
July 6, 2026