8-0: The World Cup Draft Game Where You Build the Ultimate XI
If you have spent any time in football gaming circles recently, you have probably come across 38-0 - the viral draft game that lets you build a Premier League XI and try to go an entire season unbeaten. Now there is a World Cup version, and it is just as addictive.
8-0 (also searched as World Cup 38-0, 82-0, or World Cup 8-0) is a free game available at footle.club/eight-zero, built by the team behind the popular football puzzle site Footle. The concept is simple: draft eleven players from real World Cup squads spanning the tournament's history from the 1960s through to the 2020s, then simulate the full tournament and try to win it without losing a single game.
How Does 8-0 Work?
The game works on a spin-and-draft mechanic. Each time you spin the wheel, you land on a real national team from a specific World Cup year - you might get the 1986 Argentina squad, the 2002 Brazil side, or the 1966 England squad that won it all at Wembley. From that squad, you pick one player and slot them into your chosen formation.
You repeat the process until all eleven positions are filled, mixing and matching players from completely different eras and nations to build your ultimate World Cup XI. The tactical side is covered too, with formation options including 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, and 3-4-3.
Once your team is complete, the game simulates the full World Cup path from the group stage all the way to the final. The target? Eight wins from eight games -- the perfect 8-0 campaign.
How Are Players Rated?
Player ratings in 8-0 are based on each national team's historical World Cup performance, giving the game a genuine sense of weight and history. Current players are rated using team strength implied by 2026 World Cup betting odds. If a player appeared in multiple World Cup squads across their career, the game uses their highest-rated version, meaning you always get the best of a legendary player rather than a watered-down edition.
You can also choose whether to view player ratings during the draft or keep them hidden for a purer, more instinctive drafting experience.
A True Test of Football Knowledge
Part of what makes 8-0 so compelling is the breadth of the player pool. With 88 countries and over six decades of World Cup squads to draw from, you could find yourself weighing up whether to pick a midfield enforcer from the 1974 West Germany side or a creative playmaker from the 2010 Spain squad. The game rewards genuine football history knowledge while still being accessible enough for more casual fans.
It joins a growing library of games on Footle, which already includes daily football puzzles and quizzes. The site describes 8-0 as being directly inspired by 38-0, the beloved Premier League draft game that has built a dedicated following among football fans online.
Play 8-0 Now
8-0 is free to play with no sign-up required. You can find it at footle.club/eight-zero. Whether you call it the World Cup version of 38-0, a World Cup 8-0, or simply the best football draft game you have played this summer, it is well worth a spin.
Can you build a squad good enough to go the distance? Eight wins. No defeats. The perfect World Cup run awaits.
