The 2026 GDS Cup

What is the GDS Cup?

The Classic Cup is a head-to-head, survivor-style fantasy competition.Each week, coaches select a new squad and face off in knockout battles. Lose and you’re out, win and you advance! Fixtures are redrawn every round, and each victory earns you bigger, more exciting prizes. The last coach standing takes home the Cup!

Competition Details:

• Format: The 2025/26 GDS Cup follows traditional survivor fantasy rules.

• Competition Type: All squads must adhere to Classic COMPETITION squad rules.

• Participants: A total of 128 coaches will compete.

• Qualification: The 128 coaches with the highest combined score between round 1, 2 and 3 will qualify

• Fixtures: Each round's matchups are randomised.

• Number of weeks: The official cup competition spans 7 weeks, starting from Round 4, while qualification starts Round 1 to round 3.

Qualification

Qualification for the Classic Cup is open and free to all coaches. The highest 128 number of coaches in the classic seasonal leaderboard will automatically be qualified for the the Classic Cup.

No additional action is required if you’re among the top 128 number of coaches, your entry will be automatically confirmed for the official Week 1 draw.

How to Play

As a coach, your only task is to set your Classic Competition squads each week! GDS will handle the rest, creating the fixtures and providing updates after each week on who is advancing and who has been eliminated.

Coaches progress through the Classic Cup via head-to-head matchups in each week. The loser of each fixture is eliminated, while the winner advances to the next week. This continues until only one coach remains!

Example of match-up progression:

• Week 1: ✅ 912 vs 830

• Week 2: ✅ 899 vs 890

• Week 3: ✅ 934 vs 910

• Week 4: 900 vs 803 ❌ (Eliminated)

If you win your matchup, you move on. If you lose, you're out!

It is important to note: In the case of a draw, the higher seasonal classic rank after the round will be the tiebreaker.

Cup Prizes

Each week you survive earns you rewards:

• Qualification: 1 x 1-player Common Pack

• Week 1: 1 x 3-player Common Pack

• Week 2: 1 x 1-player Rare Pack

• Week 3: 1 x 3-player Rare Pack

• Week 4: 2025/26 All Star Card (Given after the season, before 26/27 season)

• Week 5: 1 x 3-player Unique Pack

• Week 6: 1 x 9 - Player Elite Pack

• Week 7 (Final) : Pick 22 in the 2025 GDS Prize Card Draft

Coaches who have won seasonal prize cards are still eligible to win the GDS Cup prize card as the Fez Rule is not applied to the GDS Cup.