🏆The 2025 GDS Cup
Another opportunity to claim fantasy sports glory!
What is the GDS Cup?
GameDay Squad Football’s premier end-of-season knockout competition. Featuring the top 64 classic coaches from the current season, this tournament brings high-stakes strategy, requires elite coaching, and the delivers ultimate bragging rights for the winner.
Coaches must fight through the group stage and then onto a knockout finals stage, where every decision counts and every point could be the difference between victory and elimination.
Competition Details:
Format: Seeded Group Stages followed by a Knockout Finals Bracket
Competition Type: All squads must adhere to Classic Competition squad rules
Participants: A total of 64 coaches will compete.
Qualification: The 64 coaches with the highest seasonal rank after round 30 will qualify
Fixtures: Group Fixtures + Pre-determined playoff bracket
Number of weeks: The official cup competition spans 8 weeks
Qualification
Entry into The GDS Cup is exclusive.
The Top 64 Classic Coaches on the overall leaderboard after Round 30 will qualify.
Rankings are taken after lockout of Round 30 and cannot be changed retroactively.
Only valid Classic squads are eligible (must have legally submitted squads throughout qualifying period).
These 64 coaches will be split into seeded groups based on their finishing position.
Tournament Structure
The GDS Cup has two stages:
Seeded Group Stage
Knockout Finals
1. Seeded Group Stage
Group Formation
64 coaches are placed into 16 groups of 4.
Groups are seeded using a 1–64 ranking, ensuring balanced competitive integrity.
Example seeding:
Pot 1: Ranks 1–16
Pot 2: Ranks 17–32
Pot 3: Ranks 33–48
Pot 4: Ranks 49–64
Every group will contain exactly one coach from each pot.
Please note: GameDay Squad will host a live draw on stream to draw the groups. Details on this draw to be posted at a later date.
Group Stage Format
Each coach plays 3 head-to-head matchups (one against every coach in their group).
Scoring for each match is based on standard Classic scoring.
Matches align with regular season rounds
Group Round 1 → Round 31
Group Round 2 → Round 32
Group Round 3 → Round 33
Group Points System
Win: 3 points
Draw: 1 point
Loss: 0 points
Additional ranking metrics (in order):
Total Group Points
Points For (total Classic points scored across the group stage)
Head-to-Head result
Advancing from the Group Stage
Top 2 coaches from each group advance.
16 groups × 2 advancing = 32 coaches entering the Knockout Stage.
2. Knockout Finals
The remaining 32 coaches enter a single-elimination bracket. Lose once from here and you're out.
Bracket Seeding
Coaches are re-seeded for the knockout phase based on their original qualification ranking (1–64).
Higher seeds play lower seeds in the Round of 32.
Seed 1 vs Seed 32
Seed 2 vs Seed 31
…and so on.
This maintains fairness and rewards strong regular-season performance.
Knockout Match Format
Each knockout matchup is decided by a coaches Classic round score.
The higher scoring coach advances.
Rounds progress as follows:
Round of 32 - Round 34
Round of 16 - Round 35
Quarter Finals - Round 36
Semi Finals - Round 37
Grand Final - Round 38
Knockout Tie-Breakers
If a knockout match ends in a tie, the winner will be the Higher original qualification seed
Cup Prizes
Each week you survive earns you rewards:
Qualification: 1 x 1-player Common Pack
Group Winner: 1 x 9-player Common Pack
Group Runner up: 1 x 3-player Common Pack
Round of 32: 1 x 3-player Rare Pack
Round of 16: 1 x 3-player Unique Pack
Quarter Finals: 1 x 9-player Unique Pack
Semi Finals: 1 x 10- Player Elite Pack
The Final: Pick 33 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.
For further assistance or questions, reach out via our discord or email us at contact@gamedaysquad.com.au!
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