Welcome everyone to the signups for the 2016 World Cup! This is a friendly tournament where players gather into teams based upon where they live and compete across multiple games with everyone else to be named the best in the world. It is open to ALL players REGARDLESS of circumstances. The only requirement is that you build a team up yourself, or get accepted by another team. Below I shall dive into the details of the tourney,as well as a FAQ.

This tournament is made to be played by 4 player teams, and is divided into two stages - a Group Stage and a Finals. The teams with the highest scores from the Group Stages will move onto the Finals. Each team will have (1) designated gunboat specialist, (2) designated full press specialists, and (1) designated public press
specialist. The press players will play (1) game in each stage and the gunboat player will play (2) games, but each of those is only worth half the points of a press game.

Additionally, each team will need to nominate a CAPTAIN to lead them through this trial, as well as an assistant. Captains will be my go-to point of contact for all things tournament related. Additionally, they will help me do my job for me! Have a team member who hasn't joined their game? I bother the captain. Need a substitute for a
player who dropped out? That's the captain's responsibility. Assistants are there in case the captain quits. Seeing that dropouts do occur, I will kindly ask each team to arrange, if possible, for a replacement waiting in the wings at the start of the tournament.

Scoring is 420 points for a solo, 420/n for a draw, and 0 for a defeat. Additional points are allotted for each supply center controlled at game end.

Pretty easy, right?

"But, Goldy. The last world cup went on for fucking ever. There were kids attending school by the end of it who weren't even born when it started"

Well, yes, past iterations of this tournament went on for record-setting amounts of time, but no more! For the GROUP STAGE, all games will be force drawn after Fall 1919. The real war ended then, and so shall this fake one.

"Mr. Goldfinger, I don't know if I have time for a tournament."

The good news about this is that your contribution to your team amounts to...1 game! That's all you need to be around for, until you make the Finals and have to play...1 more game!

"Master Finger, what's the pause policy for the tourney?"

Great question, you handsome sir. Each player shall get 1 week of pause time per stage, no questions asked. Anything more and I would ask that you arrange a sub.

"His Royal Highness, Goldfinger CCCIII, you haven't mentioned the game specifics."

Oh, yes. Phase lengths shall be 36 hours, unless special requests are made and accepted by all parties. All games will be anonymous, 5 point buy-ins, as well as unranked.

"Goldfinger, the Great and Powerful, I don't care about tournaments unless I win something."

Well, besides some sick site-cred, I am proud to say that this is a SITE-SPONSORED tournament! All members on teams advancing to the Finals will receive 100 points. All members of the winning team will receive an additional 500 points!

"Holy shit gold, shut the hell up already"

Ok! Please ask any further questions you may have below, and be sure to visit the tournament site at http://tournaments.webdiplomacy.net/diplomacy-world-cup for more information on past and present iterations.

Have fun! Go out there and form up your teams. I'll periodically create a formal list of it in the thread, so no need to copy/paste. Go now, and may the odds be ever in your favor.