Enjoy fantasy football in Fifa 18 World Cup mode

Next weekend, many eyes will turn towards Russia as the 2018 World Cup gets underway. Fans will be cheering on their teams – most from the couch at home – and hoping that their national squad can bring them World Cup glory.

Naturally some teams have more of a chance at winning the tournament than others – if Egypt finds itself playing Iran in the final, it’ll raise more than a few eyebrows – but for those fans supporting underdogs who want to set the world to rights, there’s always fantasy football in the form of Fifa 18 World Cup mode.

If you own a copy of EA Sports’ soccer simulator, you’ll know it now contains World Cup mode, which dropped in the form of an update last month. If you’ve not downloaded it yet, it’s worth doing because it updates the player stats in the game following the close of the regular season – and it’s free.

For your download time – it’s around 5.5GB on most platforms (1.3GB on the Switch) – you’ll get access to every participating team in the tournament as well as all 12 stadiums in Russia, decked out in full World Cup regalia. The update even adds a couple of neat touches that fans will appreciate; Liverpool striker Mo Salah’s hair has been fixed and the Icelandic team’s “Thunder Clap” celebration is present and correct.

Players can compete offline or in online mode, where they have the option of playing in tournaments or friendlies. If your team didn’t qualify, you can use the custom tournament mode and select any international squad you choose. So yes, you can take Bafana Bafana to Russia if you like.

The World Cup update also brings changes to the virtual card game, Fifa Ultimate Team. Because the pool is smaller and the players from the World Cup are better than in the base game, newbies won’t have to spend too much time building a fantastic team.

There are a couple of differences between EA Sports’ World Cup version and the one that’ll play out in real life. First off, you don’t have to pick a 23-man squad. You can assemble your team from the national pool of each country – and some have more than others. This means if you’re an Arsenal fan and you feel Jack Wilshire should be in the squad, you can have him. Also, every squad begins the tournament with every player 100% fit so those recovering from injuries are available for selection.

The World Cup update for Fifa 18 is a must-have for fans and really, given its content and price, there’s no reason not to own it.