1. Overview

The Prescott’s Great Eight (PG8) 2026 Summer Tournament will be based on the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

It will feature 48 players competing across seven rounds, with the winner being the player with the most points, or determined by table order rules (see section 5).

For this summer tourney unlike the 2 previous, there are no group stages for players, so all of them will be involved in all 7 rounds for the entire duration of the competition.

2. Qualifying Stages / Key Dates

There are four qualifying rounds (Sep 2025 – Mar 2026), followed by playoffs and invitations in Apr 2026.

The official tournament launch takes place on 3 June 2026.

Qualification secures both entry and the chance to be drawn the “favoured team” in the World Cup Final.

Your drawn team could determine your fate in the competition if all other table order rules are exhausted.

Prescott's Great Eight 2026

World Cup Great 8 Qualifying

(and other key dates)

Round 1 - 06 Sep 2025

Round 2 - 11 Oct 2025

Round 3 - 15 Nov 2025 - TBC

Round 4 - 28 Mar 2026 - TBC

Play Offs and Inviting - Apr/May 2026

Launch - 03 Jun 2026

World Cup - 11 Jun 2026 to 19 Jul 2026

*This qualifying route guarantees 16 players entry (subject to invite) and being drawn the favoured team in the World Cup Final, based on that team's performance in the tournament.

32 more players can qualify through a second route outlined below (section 7).

3. Competition Format

For this summer tourney whilst there are knock out rounds in the real competition, there are not in this year's PG8 competition.

This means players will predict game results over 7 rounds throughout the entire competition so all potentially have a chance of winning.

For the first 5 rounds players are asked to predict the outcomes of 8 matches from a selection of home win, away win, or draw. For the the last 2 rounds players are asked to predict the results of key knockout matches and other game results to, as there won't be enough matches left to make up an 8, including extra predictive categories such as total goals, timing of goals, corners, cautions, and exact score predictions at certain time points.

4. Scoring System

Correct predictions earn 1 point, while exact score predictions earn 3 points (full predictions, no halves). Each round requires eight predictions, regardless of the number of matches (and could be matches and other items). This system ensures consistency in opportunities for all players to score.

5. Table Ranking Criteria

Standings are determined first by points, then by secondary measures including number of away wins, home wins, draws, order of scoring, and submission record. Head-to-head comparisons (exact scores, first away/home win, first draw) break ties. A playoff match occurs only if prizes or qualification places remain unresolved after the above criteria and a player's drawn team are taken into account.

6. Discipline Rules

This competition introduces caution cards. A single missed submission counts as a yellow card. A second non-submission results in a red card, with a 5-point deduction. This rule aims to encourage consistent participation.

7. Qualification Routes

Two paths are available:

Route 1: Up to 16 players qualify via the four official qualifying rounds. These top qualifiers gain the advantage of being drawn the favoured team in the World Cup Final. The Easter Break may see Play Off matches take place to determine this top 16 if they are tied on points based on the regular season league order. Once the top 16 qualifiers are confirmed those players will be asked to accept tournament invites by the 1st May 2026.

Route 2: A further 32 players will be invited to compete after 1st May 2026 and should accept invites by 15th May 2026.

Who these players are could depend upon their progress in all Season 3 competitions, including promotional events up to the 1st May 2026.

8. Tournament Structure

The seven rounds span the real World Cup timeline: three rounds from group stages and four from knockouts. Early rounds feature 8 matches each, the penultimate round 3 matches, and the final round the World Cup Final itself. Predictions extend beyond match outcomes in later rounds.

9. Daily and Final Updates

Since some matches finish after round deadlines, players may still be active despite being mathematically out of contention. PG8 will publish daily table updates where possible, with a full refresh before and after the Final.

10. Invitations and Replacements

Route 1 qualifiers receive invites in April 2026. If any decline or retire (via “BLUE card” or inactivity ruling), replacements may be invited—but replacements cannot gain the favoured final team advantage. Route 2 invitations are distributed in the first half of May, allowing extra time for playoff matches should numbers exceed capacity.

11. Favoured Team Allocation

Only Route 1 qualifiers (up to 16) will be drawn as the favoured team for the Final. If fewer remain, only those still active retain that advantage. For example, if 15 remain from Route 1 and 33 from Route 2, only the 15 get the favoured team.

12. Trophy and Legacy

The winner of the 2025 Euro Super 7 must return the current trophy for engraving. We'll send instructions to them at the competition's conclusion.

It will then be awarded to the 2026 World Cup Great Eight Champion, following engraving, who will hold it until after the 2027 competition.