FanPick Blog
Latest news and insights
The Away Goals Rule Explained — How a 1960s Tiebreaker Shaped Football for 55 Years
For 55 years, the away goals rule decided Champions League ties. Learn how it worked, why UEFA abolished it in 2021, and what changed after.
June 25, 2026
FanPick’s Community Vote — 251,000 Fans Predict the World Cup 2026 Winner. Can the Crowd Be Trusted?
Over 251,000 fans voted on FanPick’s Community Vote. Brazil leads at 9.5%. Learn the science behind crowd predictions and how to use them for your bracket.
June 25, 2026
The Greatest World Cup Rivalries — When History, Politics, and Football Collide
From Maradona’s Hand of God to the Mineirazo, explore six World Cup rivalries where football became a battlefield for national pride, war memories, and political revenge.
June 24, 2026
Expected Threat (xT) — The Football Analytics Metric That Values Every Touch
Expected goals only values shots. Expected Threat (xT) values every pass, dribble, and carry on the pitch. Learn how this Markov chain model predicts football better than xG alone.
June 24, 2026
World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage — How the Best Teams Prepare for Do-or-Die Football
From 10-second substitution clocks to the Round of 32’s tactical gauntlet, learn how elite managers prepare for the knockout phase of the 2026 World Cup.
June 24, 2026
The Five-Substitution Rule Explained — How It Changed Football Tactics at the World Cup 2026
29% of World Cup 2026 goals come after the 75th minute. Learn how the five-substitution rule transformed tactics, the 10-second exit clock, and what it means for predictions.
June 24, 2026
World Cup Winning Managers — The Tactics, Records, and Legacies Behind 22 Tournaments
From Vittorio Pozzo’s back-to-back titles to Deschamps’ player-to-manager journey: every World Cup-winning coach, their tactics, and the records they set.
June 23, 2026
How to Run a FanPick Group That Actually Stays Active — Engagement Playbook for World Cup 2026
Most prediction groups die after Matchday 1. Learn how to keep your FanPick pool engaged for all 39 days of World Cup 2026 with proven admin strategies.
June 23, 2026
World Cup 2026 Matchday 3 — What Each Team Needs in the Final Group Games
Matchday 3 starts June 24. Nine teams have perfect records, six are already out, and 33 are still alive. Here’s every group’s storyline.
June 23, 2026
The Back-Pass Rule Explained — How One 1992 Decision Changed Football Forever
The 1990 World Cup was so boring FIFA rewrote the rules. Learn how the back-pass rule ended time-wasting, created the sweeper-keeper, and shaped modern football.
June 23, 2026
FanPick’s Wall Chart — Print and Track Every World Cup 2026 Match
Print FanPick’s free wall chart for World Cup 2026. Track all 104 matches across 48 teams, 12 groups, and the entire knockout bracket. No sign-up required.
June 22, 2026
Logistic Regression for Football Predictions — The Foundation Every Model Needs
Learn how logistic regression powers football prediction models. From the sigmoid function to win/draw/loss probabilities, this guide breaks down the math that drives match forecasting.
June 22, 2026