A popular workplace World Cup pastime has returned, but it is no longer an Excel sheet or a notebook in the office kitchen. Companies, including high-tech firms, are now using polished, data-driven apps to run internal prediction leagues, award prizes and keep employees engaged during the tournament. The same format has also become a marketing tool for businesses that use it to strengthen ties with customers, and the article says the success has drawn new competitors into a crowded market.
The apps work on a simple points system. Participants submit predictions before kickoff, the app updates the standings automatically and in real time, and a correct score earns 3 points. Predicting the winner, or a draw, without the exact score is worth 1 point, while a wrong prediction gets no points. Before the tournament begins, users also enter long-range bets such as the champion and the top scorer, which intensifies the competition.
The story also highlights a YouTube and FIFA partnership announced in March, tied to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. YouTube is a preferred platform for distributing World Cup content, giving fans access to FIFA archives, full historic matches, iconic moments and official content on any device. Media partners can also use YouTube to expand reach and monetization, and for the first time they can stream the first 10 minutes of each match live, plus selected matches in full. FIFA and YouTube are also giving prominent creators rare access to games to attract younger audiences.
In Israel, several players now compete in this space. 365Scores runs Domino's Challenge, in partnership with Domino's Pizza, since 2018. The company was sold in 2023 to Entain for $200 million, reaches about 700,000 unique monthly visitors and has more than 230,000 newsletter subscribers. Channel 5 offers the long-running 5 Hevra service and Fantasy World Cup, while Oren Yosipovich's Podium launched KickOff, which quickly reached the top of the App Store downloads chart despite launch-day technical glitches. The app will remain active after the World Cup, and many Israelis also use the international Tiko platform. The business model is free for users and relies on targeted advertising, sponsored content and commercial push notifications.
