Bella Ciao FC
WORLD CUP 2026
Tournament Hub
Tournament Handbook

INFO & RULES

Everything you need to know about format, schedule, prize pool and rules of fair play.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

EA FC 1v1 Kick-Off
National Teams Only
One Player = One Nation
Nations assigned through a live draw
Group Stage + Knockout Stage
Live Tables
Live Fixtures
Live Results
Live Tournament Bracket

REGISTRATION

Registration Opens6 June 2026
Registration Closes18 June 2026 – 19:00 BST

To register, simply log in to your Bella Ciao FC website account and click the registration button on the Tournament page.

No forms.
No nation selection.
No additional information required.

Your website username and profile picture will automatically be used for the tournament.

LIVE WORLD CUP DRAW

Draw Date18 June 2026 – 20:00 BST

After registration closes, all participants will be assigned a nation through the official Bella Ciao World Cup Draw Show. The draw will be hosted live on the website with animations, nation reveals and a full World Cup presentation experience.

Once assigned, nations are locked for the entire tournament. Nations cannot be changed or swapped.

TIME ZONE

All dates, deadlines and kickoff times shown throughout the tournament are displayed in UK Time (BST). Players are responsible for converting times to their local time zone if necessary.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Group Stage
Matchday 1Opens: 19 JuneDeadline: 22 June – 23:59 BST
Matchday 2Opens: 23 JuneDeadline: 26 June – 23:59 BST
Matchday 3Opens: 27 JuneDeadline: 30 June – 23:59 BST
Round of 16
Opens: 1 JulyDeadline: 4 July – 23:59 BST
Quarter Finals
Opens: 5 JulyDeadline: 8 July – 23:59 BST
Semi Finals
Semi Final 1Matchday: 10 July
Semi Final 2Matchday: 10 July
Third Place Match
Matchday: 11 July
World Cup Final
Matchday: 11 July

The Bella Ciao World Cup Champion will be crowned immediately following the Final.

MATCH COMMUNICATION

For every tournament match, a dedicated Discord group will be created. Each group will include:

Both players involved in the match
At least one tournament staff member

The purpose of the group is to:

Schedule the match
Communicate availability
Resolve scheduling issues
Confirm the final result

Players are expected to actively respond and make a genuine effort to arrange their matches before the deadline. Failure to respond or participate in scheduling discussions may result in a forfeit.

COMMUNITY PRIZE POOL

Participation in the tournament is completely free. Members who wish to support the event may contribute any amount to the Community Prize Pool. Contributions are completely optional. The total prize pool amount will be displayed publicly on the website throughout the tournament.

IMPORTANT PRIZE POOL INFORMATION

Players who do not contribute can still participate
Players who do not contribute can still become World Cup Champion
Players who do not contribute are not eligible to receive prize pool winnings
Prize pool winnings are only distributed among contributing participants
Contributing does not provide any competitive advantage

The tournament title, recognition and World Cup trophy remain available to every participant.

PRIZE DISTRIBUTION

Among eligible contributors:

🥇
1st Place
70%
🥈
2nd Place
20%
🥉
3rd Place
10%

Based on the final Community Prize Pool amount.

TOURNAMENT RULES

Fair Play

Play every match fairly
No intentional disconnecting
No exploiting game glitches
No cheating of any kind
Respect your opponent at all times

Time Wasting

Excessive time wasting is not allowed
Deliberately avoiding play to run down the clock is prohibited
Staff may review matches if complaints are submitted

Repeated offences may result in warnings, forfeits or disqualification.

Scheduling

Players are responsible for arranging their matches
Matches must be completed before the deadline
Players must make a genuine effort to schedule games
Failure to respond to scheduling attempts may result in a forfeit

Staff decisions regarding activity are final.

Nations

Nations are assigned through the live draw
Nations cannot be changed
Nations cannot be swapped
Each nation can only be assigned once

Sportsmanship

No toxicity
No harassment
No discrimination
No excessive trash talking
Respect staff decisions

Competition is encouraged. Disrespect is not.

Match Results

Results must be submitted honestly
Screenshot evidence may be requested
Staff may investigate disputed results
Staff decisions are final

TOURNAMENT AWARDS

🏆World Cup Champion
🥈Runner-Up
🥉Third Place
💰Community Prize Pool Winners

Additional awards may be introduced during the tournament.

FINAL NOTE

The Bella Ciao World Cup 2026 is designed to bring the community together through competition, entertainment and World Cup excitement.

Represent your nation with pride, compete with integrity and enjoy the tournament.

Good luck, and may the best nation win.