Step-by-step launch plan for your company Football Tournament game

You don’t need a project board to launch an office Football Tournament game — you need a crisp plan that removes friction and maximizes participation. Use this pragmatic 7-step blueprint.

1) One-line objective & visible sponsor
Write the “why” in a sentence and ask a senior leader or People & Culture sponsor to post the invite personally. A recognized voice boosts signups.

2) Pick one format
Clarity beats choice. Choose match-by-match predictions (most inclusive) or fantasy rosters for a more soccer-interested crowd. Curious about fantasy but unsure? Run a small pilot subleague.

3) Create the league & set deadlines
Set up your company league; add subleagues only if they add clarity. Confirm auto-lock before kickoff and pin the first deadline in ET/PT as needed. Upload a simple, generic header image (avoid official crests/logos).

4) Prepare onboarding
Every invite should include:

1. A direct join link.
2. Three steps: click → register → make first picks.
3. The first match deadline (day/date/time/timezone).
   Add three annotated screenshots for visual learners.

5) Four-message launch mini-campaign

• Teaser: “Our Football Tournament game is coming ⚽ — who’s in?”
• Invite: Link + 3 steps + deadline.
• Reminder: “Last chance to enter before kickoff.”
• Updates: Weekly Top 10 + “boldest pick.”

6) Light-touch community tactics
Open a Slack/Teams channel, encourage tasteful GIFs, run quick polls (1–X–2), and share a Friday leaderboard image. Issue tiny digital badges: “Draw Whisperer”, “Exact-Score Sniper”, “Giant-Killer”.

7) Finish with recognition
Share the podium, shout out comebacks and newcomers, say thanks, and invite feedback. Post a “Hall of Fame” image with the Top 10.

Copy-and-paste templates

• Email subject: Join our Football Tournament office game
  Body: “Jump into the [Company] league, make your picks and follow the live table. No soccer expertise needed — instinct and luck are welcome! Join here ▶ [link]. Three steps, one minute.”

• Slack/Teams reminder:
  “⏰ Last day to enter today’s picks. Fancy a brave 1–0? Join: [link]”

• Weekly post:
  “🏅 Top 10 this week — big leap from [Name]! New fixtures, new chances.”

Avoid these pitfalls
Too many formats, long messages, fuzzy deadlines, rewarding only the podium, forgetting mobile users. Nail the basics and the experience runs itself.