The latest articles on DEV Community by Mark (@mark_b5f4ffdd8e7cd58). https://dev.to/mark_b5f4ffdd8e7cd58 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3911889%2F1a12ec5a-45e3-424e-ac9b-770cb7c80938.png https://dev.to/mark_b5f4ffdd8e7cd58 en Mark Thu, 07 May 2026 13:14:25 +0000 https://dev.to/mark_b5f4ffdd8e7cd58/i-built-a-world-cup-2026-bracket-predictor-for-the-new-48-team-format-1e11 https://dev.to/mark_b5f4ffdd8e7cd58/i-built-a-world-cup-2026-bracket-predictor-for-the-new-48-team-format-1e11 <h1> I built a World Cup 2026 bracket predictor for the new 48-team format </h1> <p>The 2026 FIFA World Cup format is surprisingly complicated.</p> <p>Instead of the old 32-team structure, the tournament now has:</p> <ul> <li>48 teams</li> <li>12 groups</li> <li>a new Round of 32</li> <li>third-place qualification rules</li> </ul> <p>I realized that most existing bracket tools were still based on the old format and felt awkward once you tried modeling the new tournament structure.</p> <p>So I built this:</p> <p><a href="https://bracket2026.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://bracket2026.com</a></p> <p>The idea was simple:</p> <ul> <li>predict all group-stage standings</li> <li>automatically generate the Round of 32</li> <li>continue predicting all knockout rounds</li> <li>share or export the completed bracket</li> </ul> <p>One interesting challenge was handling the knockout path generation.</p> <p>With 12 groups and third-place advancement, the Round of 32 is no longer fixed in a straightforward way. The bracket depends on which third-place teams qualify, so the UI and logic both become more dynamic compared to previous World Cups.</p> <p>I also tried to keep the experience lightweight:</p> <ul> <li>no signup</li> <li>mobile friendly</li> <li>fast interactions</li> <li>easy sharing</li> </ul> <p>It was a fun side project to build, especially because sports tournament structures are basically a weird mix of UI design, state management, and combinatorics.</p> <p>Would love feedback from other developers or football fans — especially around the UX and whether the new format feels understandable.</p> webdev sideprojects opensource gamedev