Platform Provider Disclaimer
This application has been designed, built, and hosted by Clairdoncloudit.com ("the Platform Provider") as a technical service only.
Clairdoncloudit.com is not a party to this competition and accepts no liability whatsoever in connection with any payments made, funds collected, prize distributions, refunds, or any financial matters arising from participation. All monetary transactions, prize payments, refunds, and financial inquiries are the sole responsibility of Thurso and District Pipe Band, who organise and operate the competition.
By registering and/or making a payment through this platform, you acknowledge that Clairdoncloudit.com:
- does not collect, hold, or control any entry fees or prize funds;
- has no obligation to process or respond to payment queries, refund requests, or disputes;
- provides no warranty as to the continued availability of the platform;
- shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss arising from use of this application.
All financial matters must be directed to Thurso and District Pipe Band. Contact details are provided in Section 11.
No purchase necessary
A free entry route is available to all participants. No purchase is necessary to play or appear on the leaderboard. Payment of £11.50 is required for prize eligibility only.
1. The Competition
The World Cup 2026 Predictor Challenge ("the Competition") is a skill-based prediction competition open to all registered users. Participants predict the exact score of each group stage match (72 total) in the World Cup 2026, plus an optional tournament winner prediction.
The Competition is organised and banked by Thurso and District Pipe Band, who are responsible for collecting all entry fees, holding all funds, and making all prize payments and charitable distributions. The Competition platform is provided as a service to support this arrangement.
The Competition is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to FIFA, any national football association, or any broadcasting organisation.
2. Eligibility
The Competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over who registers an account.
Employees, agents, or family members of the organisers are not eligible to win prizes.
One entry per person. Multiple accounts are not permitted.
3. Entry Routes
Free Entry: Any registered user may enter the Competition at no cost. Free entrants make identical predictions using the same form, the same deadline, and are scored on the same basis as paid entrants. Free entrants appear on the Overall Leaderboard but are not eligible for monetary prizes.
Prize Entry (£11.50): Participants may pay £11.50 to become prize eligible. The only difference between free and paid entry is prize eligibility. The prediction form, deadline, and scoring formula are identical for all participants.
Upgrade: Free entrants may upgrade to Prize Entry by paying £11.50 at any time before the competition deadline. Predictions already submitted remain unchanged.
4. Competition Deadline
All entries (free and paid) must be submitted before the start of the first World Cup 2026 group stage match. Predictions for individual matches lock automatically 1 hour before that match's scheduled kick-off time. No changes may be made after a prediction is locked.
No new entries (free or paid) will be accepted after the competition deadline. No upgrades from free to paid entry will be accepted after the deadline.
5. Scoring Rules
Points are awarded equally to all participants (free and paid) as follows:
- +3 points — Exact correct scoreline (both home and away goals correct)
- +1 point — Correct result (win/draw/loss) but wrong scoreline
- 0 points — Incorrect result prediction
- +5 points — Correct tournament winner prediction (bonus)
The participant with the highest total points at the conclusion of the group stage wins. In the event of a tie, the tie-break order is: (1) most exact correct scorelines, (2) most correct result predictions, (3) correct tournament winner, (4) earliest submission timestamp.
6. Prize Structure
Prize entry is £11.50 per participant. Thurso and District Pipe Band collects all payments and is responsible for all prize payments and distributions. Free entries do not contribute to the prize pot.
The prize pot is split equally between two purposes:
- 50% — paid out to prize-eligible finishers (top 10)
- 50% — retained by Thurso and District Pipe Band for the band's own use
The winners' share (50% of the pot) is distributed across the top 10 prize-eligible finishers in the following proportions:
- 1st place — 35% of the winners' share
- 2nd place — 20%
- 3rd place — 15%
- 4th place — 10%
- 5th place — 7%
- 6th place — 5%
- 7th–10th place — 2% each
In the event fewer than 10 prize-eligible entrants finish the competition, the winners' share is redistributed proportionally among the available positions. If there are no prize-eligible entrants, the full pot is retained by Thurso and District Pipe Band.
Prize winners are confirmed and notified at the end of the group stage. Actual prize payments are made by Thurso and District Pipe Band no earlier than 1 hour after the final whistle of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final, once the tournament winner has been officially announced. Payments will be completed within 14 days of that point.
7. Skill-Based Competition Statement
This competition is structured as a skill-based game. Success depends on the participant's knowledge of football, analytical ability, and accuracy of predictions across 72 individual matches. Prizes are awarded based solely on predictive accuracy as measured by the scoring system described above.
The outcome of the competition is not determined by chance. All participants have equal access to the same information and the same prediction form.
8. Disqualification
Thurso and District Pipe Band, as the organising body, reserves the right to disqualify any participant who creates multiple accounts, uses automated tools to submit predictions, or acts in bad faith. Disqualified participants forfeit any prize eligibility. Entry fees paid by disqualified participants will not be refunded.
9. Changes and Cancellation
Thurso and District Pipe Band reserves the right to modify or cancel the competition in exceptional circumstances (e.g., widespread match postponements). In the event of cancellation, paid entry fees will be returned in full by Thurso and District Pipe Band, except for any payment processing costs already incurred.
10. Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of Scotland. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.
11. Contact
For all questions relating to payments, refunds, prize eligibility, fund collection, or the competition itself, please contact the organiser directly:
Thurso and District Pipe Band
Email: contact@thursopipeband.co.uk (TBC)
Clairdoncloudit.com is the platform provider only and cannot respond to payment or competition queries. All such inquiries must be directed to Thurso and District Pipe Band.
12. Platform Provider
This web application is developed and hosted by Clairdoncloudit.com. The Platform Provider's role is limited strictly to technical delivery of the application. Clairdoncloudit.com is not an organiser, promoter, agent, or trustee of the competition and does not participate in any capacity in the collection, holding, or distribution of funds.
Any claim, dispute, or inquiry of a financial nature must be made against Thurso and District Pipe Band as the organising body. No such claim may be brought against Clairdoncloudit.com.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Clairdoncloudit.com excludes all liability for loss or damage of any kind arising from use of this platform, including but not limited to lost predictions, missed deadlines, platform unavailability, or payment processing errors.