The World Cup finally gets underway on Thursday with 48 teams set to take part in the biggest edition in the tournament’s history.
And what does every good World Cup need? A sweepstake, of course!
Thankfully, Metro has created the perfect sweepstake kit to use with your family, friends and work colleagues, featuring all of the countries involved in the competition.
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So, how does it work? It’s dead easy – click on our link above to download the free printable PDF and then buzz it over to the printer.
Settle on a stake beforehand and then ask participants to pull a team out of a hat.
The person with the winning country will claim the sweepstake prize fund, and obviously more importantly, the bragging rights!
And while you’re at it, why not download our free World Cup wallchart to ensure you’re extra ready for the big kick-off.
The best sweepstake apps
While die-hard football fans and casuals may still enjoy printing out a traditional sweepstake kit, there are plenty of apps that do just as good a job without the need to whip out a pair of scissors.
Apps such as Sweeper, Easy Raffle and Sweepmate all do the trick and are available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
SweepstakeGenerator.com, meanwhile, offers its own free online version with a ready-made World Cup kit.
Who is the favourite to win the World Cup?
Those who draw Spain in the sweepstake will be pleased to know they have been installed as the favourites to win the tournament.
And for good reason, given they haven’t lost a game – a penalty shootout defeat aside – since 2023.
France have also been tipped for a deep run in North America, with Les Bleus winning the World Cup in 2018 and then finishing as runner-up in 2022.
England are the third favourites, with the Three Lions looking to end their long wait for their second World Cup title – exactly 60 years after their first.
South American heavyweights Brazil and Argentina round out the top five with the bookmakers, ahead of the likes of Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands.