FanPick Blog
Latest news and insights
The Rise of the Super-Sub: How Substitute Players Changed World Cup History
From zero subs in 1930 to five in 2026, explore how substitute players shaped World Cup history — from Roger Milla’s corner flag dances to Götze’s final-winning volley.
July 5, 2026
Dead Ball Deciders — How Set Pieces Decide World Cup Knockout Matches
Nearly one in four World Cup knockout goals comes from a dead ball. Learn how free kicks, corners, and penalties have decided the biggest matches in football.
July 5, 2026
FanPick Bracket Predictor — How to Build Your Knockout Stage Bracket and Win Your Pool
Learn how FanPick’s bracket predictor works, how to read the scoring system, and how to make knockout picks that maximize your points. With 14 R16 matches still to play, there’s still time to build a winning bracket.
July 5, 2026
Quantifying Home Advantage — How to Build It Into Your Football Prediction Model
Home advantage is worth +0.30-0.45 goals per match. Learn what drives it, how COVID proved crowd effects, and four methods to build it into your prediction model.
July 5, 2026
World Cup 2026 Round of 16 — All 8 Matches Previewed With Form, Key Players, and Predictions
All 8 Round of 16 matches broken down: form, key players, tactical battles, and predictions. From Paraguay vs France to Switzerland vs Colombia.
July 4, 2026
The Evolution of World Cup Qualifying — From 13 Invitations to 206 Nations Battling for 48 Spots
From 13 invited teams in 1930 to 206 nations competing in 899 matches for 48 spots in 2026: how World Cup qualifying became the world’s largest sporting event.
July 4, 2026
The Men in the Middle — How FIFA Selects and Manages Referees for World Cup Knockout Matches
How FIFA selects, tests, and supports referees for World Cup knockout matches — from fitness standards and VAR protocols to semi-automated offside technology and historic controversies.
July 3, 2026
FanPick R16 Strategy — How to Readjust Your Predictions After the Round of 32
The Round of 32 delivered shocks and late drama. Here’s how to use those results to make sharper FanPick predictions for the Round of 16.
July 3, 2026
How to Update Football Predictions in Real Time During Live Matches
Learn how Bayesian inference and non-homogeneous Poisson processes power real-time football prediction that updates with every match event.
July 3, 2026
World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Results — Upsets, Drama, and the Road to the Round of 16
Germany and the Netherlands are out. Paraguay and Morocco won on penalties. Here’s every R32 result, the biggest shocks, and what the Round of 16 bracket looks like.
July 3, 2026
Penalty Shootouts in World Cup History — The Moments, the Stats, and the Science Behind Football’s Ultimate Tiebreaker
From the 1970 rule change to the 2026 knockouts, explore the history, psychology, and statistics of football’s most dramatic tiebreaker.
July 2, 2026
The Multi-Ball System in Football — How 14 Match Balls, Ball Kids, and a 2006 Rule Change Keep the World Cup Moving
How the multi-ball system works at the 2026 World Cup: 14 identical Triondas, trained ball kids, sub-five-second restarts, and the 2006 IFAB rule that changed everything.
July 2, 2026