World Cup Tournament Football

About this board game

World Cup Tournament Football is a card-driven soccer tournament game for 2–10 players, with matches unfolding in about 60 minutes. Each player manages randomly distributed teams and tries to guide one of them through qualifying and the elimination rounds to the World Cup final.

The large board depicts soccer fields that serve as spaces for cards rather than as a playing surface. It covers the tournament from 16 fields in the first elimination round and eight fields in the round of 16 through the single field used for the final. The game was released in 1993.

• A deck of cards is provided for each team, with numbers showing goals scored and penalties given.
• Thirty-two team counters are randomly distributed among the players.
• Each team has a rating of 0, 1, or 2, representing its bonus goals in every match.
• Players begin with five random cards.

On your turn, play a card onto any soccer field. Cards in the preliminary matches are played face-up, with up to three cards allowed on each field; on every later field, cards are played face-down. When all fields are full, the matches are resolved and each winner advances to the next round.

After the preliminary matches determine the teams for the next round, the cards are revealed and the results are calculated. This process continues through the tournament, round by round, until the final is decided.

Because you choose where your team will play and can commit hidden cards to future matches, every placement matters. But an early upset can turn your face-down plays against you: if your team is eliminated, those cards may help another team win. In World Cup Tournament Football, managing the tournament means balancing immediate results with the risk of backing the wrong contender.