Major sporting events have a unique way of bringing people together, and nothing quite matches the buzz of a major sports tournament like the FIFA World Cup. When the tournament kicks off this June, the excitement is bound to sweep through your workplace.
While it may seem like a distraction, forward-thinking businesses recognise this as a golden opportunity. It’s the perfect time to build teamwork, drive colleague recognition, and give company morale a major lift.
To help you tap into the football fever, we’ve put together a few simple, inclusive competition ideas that the whole office can get involved in – along with a stress-free way for HR to handle the prizes.
Workplace World Cup competition ideas for colleagues
1. The classic office sweepstake
You don’t need to be a football expert to enjoy a sweepstake, which is why it’s one of the best ways to foster a positive work culture.
How it works: Write down the names of all the participating countries, put them in a hat, and have colleagues draw a team at random. To keep engagement high throughout June, you can award prizes not just to the tournament winner but also to the runner-up and even to the team that concedes the most goals!
For People teams, this is a simple, scalable way to engage large or multi-site teams with minimal admin.
2. Match prediction league
For the colleagues who do follow every stat and transfer rumour, a prediction league adds a bit of healthy, friendly competition to the workplace.
How it works: Set up a simple spreadsheet or use a free online tournament tracker. Before the tournament starts, ask employees to predict the scores for the group stages. You can award points for predicting the correct match outcome (e.g., a win for England) and bonus points for guessing the exact scoreline. Update the leaderboard after every round of matches to keep the office chatter flowing.
This format works particularly well for hybrid or remote teams, helping maintain connection and team culture, even online.
3. The ‘fantasy final’ quiz
Not everyone wants to track scores for a month, so a one-off trivia event is a fantastic way to include everyone right before the big finale.
How it works: Host a lunchtime quiz during the week of the World Cup Final. Mix up the questions so they aren’t just about football tactics – include sports trivia, geography questions about the host nation, famous World Cup halftime music acts, and pop culture. It breaks up the workweek and gives non-sports fans a fair chance to shine.
Simplify colleague rewards with corporate gift cards
Organising workplace competitions can boost engagement, but sourcing physical prizes, managing delivery, or catering to individual preferences can quickly become an administrative headache for businesses both small and large.
That is where corporate gift cards come in. They are universally appreciated and take the logistical stress completely out of your hands.
The ultimate power of choice
The traditional bottle of wine or box of chocolates won’t suit every colleague. With an Asda for Business gift card, the winners get the freedom to choose exactly what they want. Whether they decide to use it for a family pizza night during the matches, a clothing upgrade from George, or simply to help the weekly grocery shop go further, it’s a reward that provides genuine value.
Instant digital delivery
If your team works remotely or across multiple sites, mailing physical prizes is costly and time-consuming. Our digital business e-gift cards can be sent instantly to an employee’s email inbox, meaning you can reward the winning prediction just minutes after the final whistle blows.
Budget-friendly
You can choose your exact value from £1 to £1,000, allowing you to easily scale rewards from small weekly prediction prizes to a grand prize for the overall sweepstake winner.
Score a win for workplace culture
Embracing the World Cup this June doesn’t mean pausing productivity; it’s an opportunityto build a more engaged and motivated workforce. By setting up inclusive activities and backing them with flexible rewards, you show your team that their workplace is an engaging, rewarding place to be.
Ready to elevate your colleague rewards strategy? You can order physical gift cards in advance so you can hand them out to the winners, or order e-gift cards that can be delivered instantaneously to their inbox after the tournament has ended.
