MatchPulse turns the noise around the 2026 World Cup into a single number per match. Here is exactly how that number is built — and how your vote moves it.
Every fixture opens with an editorial score from 0 to 100. We weigh four things: the pedigree of the two teams, what's at stake in the group, the history between them, and whether a host nation is involved. A heavyweight rivalry starts near the top; a routine group game starts lower.
Every time you tap Add your pulse on a match card, that fixture's Hype Index ticks up. Your votes are stored privately in your browser's localStorage — no account, no email — so the board you shape is remembered the next time you open the site.
To keep it playful, we translate hype into a "crowd heart-rate" measured in BPM. The hotter a match, the faster the on-screen monitor beats. The Tournament Pulse at the top of the page is the average crowd rate across every marquee fixture.
Each nation carries a buzz score blended from the hype of its fixtures and the energy of its support. The Team Buzz table ranks all of them; tap any team to spotlight just its games on the Hype Board.
Use the Hottest, Upcoming and Rivalries filters to slice the board. None of this is a prediction or an odds line — a high Hype Index means a match is widely anticipated, nothing more.
As the group stage plays out and storylines shift — an upset here, a wonder-goal there — we review the seed ratings so the board keeps tracking what fans actually care about, right through to the July 19 final.
MatchPulse is not a betting product. We never accept stakes, hold money or publish odds. The Hype Index is a fan thermometer, built for fun and for arguments in the group chat.
Vote on your ten must-watch games, filter to your team, and turn on pulse alerts from the contact form to get a ping when a fixture you follow spikes. The more you vote, the sharper your personal board gets.