Frequently Asked Questions

Playing the Game

How do I play?

Every match day you're assigned one real World Cup 2026 fixture. You predict the goal difference (between -5 and +5). Each predicted difference has a bribe attached, based on how unlikely it is. Match ends, the result determines what you earn — or whether you go to jail. See the full rules.

How many matches will I referee?

Your whole schedule is drawn when you register: one fixture for every match day of the tournament, picked at random from that day's games. Group-stage assignments are always yours to referee. Knockout assignments are potential — you only take charge if your credibility meets that round's threshold on the day. Either way those fixtures are locked in the bookmaker for you. A perfect run ends with the Final and a shot at the $80,000 fee.

What if I don't pick a match in time?

You lose 50 credibility (flat, no phase weighting) and earn no fee. The penalty only applies to matches you were actually eligible to referee — a knockout assignment above your tier costs nothing. Skip too many and you'll drop below the threshold for the knockout stages.

Can I change my pick?

Yes — until kickoff. After kickoff your pick is locked.

What's an "exact score" bonus?

Beyond predicting the goal difference, you can optionally predict the exact score (e.g. "2-1" instead of just "+1"). If you nail both the diff and the score, you earn an extra bonus on top of the bribe, plus +40 credibility.

Money & Bribes

How much do I start with?

Every player starts with $10,000 (in-game) and 500 credibility. This is virtual money — it has no real-world cash value.

How are bribe amounts calculated?

Bribes scale by how improbable a goal difference is. The most likely outcome pays $0 bribe (just the match fee). Longshots pay big — but they're capped at a multiple of the match fee for that stage. See the bribe formula in the rules.

What's the "bookmaker" side?

Besides refereeing, you can place 1×2 bets (home/draw/away) on the rest of the tournament. Same money, real odds, no real-cash stake. You can't bet on any fixture from your own referee schedule (they're marked as locked), you hold one bet per match, and you can edit or cancel it freely until kickoff. Single-bet payouts are capped at $1,000,000.

Will I be able to cash out my winnings?

No. In-game money has no monetary value, can't be withdrawn, can't be traded. The game is free to play and stays that way.

Credibility & Arrest

What is credibility?

A score from 0 to 1000 that represents how trusted you are as a referee. Each correct pick raises it, each miss lowers it. Credibility gates which knockout rounds you can referee.

What gets me arrested?

Two ways:

• Instant arrest: if you pick one of the 4 least probable goal differences AND you miss it by 5 or more goals. Greedy bribe + total miss = jail.
• Credibility arrest: if your credibility drops below 0 from accumulated bad picks.

What happens when I'm arrested?

• All in-game money is forfeit.
• All open bets are voided (no refund).
• You can't referee or bet for the rest of the tournament.
• You drop off the leaderboard — an arrested referee's run is over.

Is there a way to get unarrested?

Not in the current edition. Arrest is permanent for the tournament. We may add comeback mechanics in future editions — feedback welcome.

What if credibility drops below 100 but stays above 0?

You're excluded from refereeing but can still place bookmaker bets. You can rebuild credibility... no wait, you can't. Once excluded, refereeing is over for this tournament. You can still try to climb the leaderboard through bets alone.

Account & Security

How do I sign up?

Continue with Google — your account is created automatically on the first sign-in; there's no separate registration form and no password to remember.

I forgot my password.

There are no Dirty Whistle passwords — sign-in goes through your Google account. If you can't access it, recover it on Google's side and you're back in.

Can I change my ref alias after signing up?

Yes — any time, from your Profile. Roll the dice for a cartel-issued alias or type your own.

How do I delete my account?

Use the "Delete account" button at the bottom of your Profile — it asks for confirmation, wipes your progress and signs you out. You can also email privacy@dirtywhistle.com or use the data request form. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Technical

Is there a mobile app?

Not yet. Dirty Whistle works as a mobile-optimized web app — open dirtywhistle.com in your phone's browser and add to home screen for an app-like experience. Native iOS/Android apps are on the roadmap if the player base supports it.

What browsers do you support?

Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — latest 2 versions. IE11 is not supported.

I found a bug.

Please report it: contact.html#bug or bugs@dirtywhistle.com. Include browser, screen size, and what you were doing when it broke. Screenshots welcome.

Legal & Safety

Is this gambling?

No. Dirty Whistle uses no real money. All currency is virtual, no deposits, no withdrawals, no trading between players. The game is free, has no paid currency, and provides no path to convert in-game money into real-world value. See Responsible Play.

Why does it look like gambling?

The bribe / bookmaker / odds mechanics borrow visual language from sports betting because they're being satirized. The whole game is built around the absurdity of corruption in football — pretending otherwise would be dishonest. We make the disclaimer visible at every step and we provide responsible-play resources.

Is Dirty Whistle affiliated with FIFA?

No. FIFA, UEFA, all national football federations, and all participating teams are independent. We use real match fixtures because the tournament is public information. We do not represent or endorse any institution mentioned in the game.

Is there an age limit?

18 and over only. You confirm your age at registration. Underage accounts will be terminated when detected.

Can I play if I work in football?

Active match officials, players, coaches, or anyone bound by a football federation's integrity code should check with their own compliance team before playing. We do not actively screen — but if a player is identified as bound by such rules and their participation could be misrepresented (e.g. an actual referee playing Dirty Whistle), we reserve the right to suspend the account. See Terms §Prohibited Use.