Fantasy football has enjoyed a massive surge in popularity over recent years, with more than 10 million people around the world now taking part in the Premier League’s official game.
It gives armchair experts the chance to put their knowledge to the test by selecting a squad of players to a set budget and accumulating points based on how they perform across the course of a season.
Major tournaments like the World Cup now receive the same treatment as fans pin their hopes for success on an array of international stars.
In 2018, McDonald’s FIFA World Cup fantasy was launched on 8 June, after all the squads had been finalised and just six days before the tournament’s opening game.
Last time around, Spain’s David de Gea, Germany’s Joshua Kimmich, Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne and Brazil’s Neymar were amongst the most expensive players in their respective positions.
Fantasy managers were tasked with picking a 15-man squad featuring two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders and three forwards using a budget of £100million.
Details of this year’s edition of World Cup fantasy have yet to be released, but the game is likely to follow a similar schedule and set of rules as last time.
That means waiting another couple of months before picking your team as the tournament runs from 20 November to 18 December.
With games on every day during the group stage, fantasy managers will have to keep a keen eye on their selections and plot transfers and substitutions accordingly.
As the tournament progresses and more countries get knocked out, there are inevitably fewer players to pick from so the composition of your squad is likely to change dramatically.
Heading towards the final, careful management is required as the field narrows and the finishing line looms into view with bragging rights, and even prizes, potentially at stake.
Four years ago, FIFA offered successful managers the chance to win a car, a television and signed captains’ armbands from teams competing in Russia.
