Seven must-have apps for fans to follow the FIFA World Cup

The excitement surrounding the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil is growing with each passing day. Irrespective of whether you like football or not it is hard to ignore the buzz, as the June 12 kick-off date draws near. Of course, with so many matches going on, it’s not always easy to keep a track of what’s happening with your favourite teams. Thankfully, we have a bunch of apps these days to take care of that. Here are some that you must download for a great World Cup experience.   Teamstream (Android, iOS; free)

Teamstream by sports website Bleacher Report gives you a ticking feed of all news from your favourite teams. It has value beyond the World Cup too, since it’s an all-sports app. All you have to do is choose your team and the app delivers all the latest news and scores of your favourite team in one place. The app scours various channels like social networks, websites and blogs to deliver the latest news, while scores are updated in real-time, with in-depth stats and pictures.   Onefootball (Android, iOS; free) [caption id=“attachment_223347” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  A great looking app for Android and iOS[/caption] Trust us. There’s no better looking app on either the Play Store or the App Store, if you are a football fan. Onefootball offers a wide range of information ranging from team fixtures to live scores to player statistics to match results and more. You also get live text commentary of important matches. Not only have that, its Fan Zone section lets you interact with other football fans. Besides match highlights you can also watch videos of interviews and press conferences of teams, players and coaches. FantasyiTeam (iOS; free) [caption id=“attachment_223319” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Fantasy football for the World Cup[/caption] This app is for those who are not happy just getting updates and scores, and want a feel of actually managing a team. The app lets you create your own team choosing from amongst the 736 players who will appear in the World Cup. You can create your own mini-league or join one if you have the access. Other features offered by the app are live stats, real-time player values and player-versus-player comparison, to help you pick better.   Soccer Players Quiz PRO 2014(Android, iOS; free) [caption id=“attachment_223346” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Some light quizzing for the football fan[/caption] Bored between match breaks? This app tests your knowledge of football players by giving you a picture and options to select the right answer. As you progress, the quiz becomes more challenging, with the pictures becoming mosaics or jigsaw puzzles. There are altogether 200 questions, so you can play for quite a while. Sign in and you can check your rankings against other players.   World Cup Brazil 2014 (Windows Phone, $0.99) [caption id=“attachment_223323” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Hands-on information for those already in Brazil[/caption] If you are one of those lucky ones who is going to Brazil to watch the World Cup in person then this app is a must-have. The app delivers comprehensive information about each match, including venue, timing and comes with support for five languages (English, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and German) What’s more, with Facebook integration, the app offers directions to help you reach the venue in time.   ESPN FC Soccer and World Cup (Android; free) [caption id=“attachment_223326” align=“alignnone” width=“639”]  A comprehensive football app[/caption] The **ESPN FC Soccer and World Cup app** is not limited to just the World Cup. It also offers a comprehensive coverage of all the major football leagues and competitions from around the world. Recently launched, the app offers in-depth analysis of each game which can be accessed with a single click. It also offers full-time highlights of every game. Thanks to Twitter integration, you can see what others are saying about a particular match or moment.   MatchPint (Android, iOS; free) [caption id=“attachment_223352” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Grab a drink with the game[/caption] If you are a football-crazy UK resident, then MatchPint is one of the best apps to find the right venue to watch the game. The app helps you find a pub or a sports bar that’s telecasting the match. Not only that, you can also claim rewards if the place is an affiliated establishment. To use this app you simply need to create a new account and select your favourite sport. The app also gives you an option to select a team. It’s a shame that this is UK only. We would love to see this come to other parts of the world too.