5 of the best World Cup apps

The World Cup is here, and the iPhone and iPad are set to make it that little bit more interesting. Here’s our rundown of the apps you must have to immerse yourself in football fever...

BBC iPlayer £2.99
Moments from kick-off and you’re nowhere near a TV? Don’t panic, because BBC’s app will allow you to stream matches over Wi-Fi or 3G. ITV has also released its own app for free, which will give you access to match highlights, stats and podcasts. A word of warning: watch out for how much you download via 3G – no one wants a hefty bill at the end of the month.

Picklive £free
Picklive promises to totally change the way you watch football. Taking the template of fantasy football and putting it in the palm of your hand, it’s certainly going to make every game a bit more interesting. Pick three players, and hope they get enough points to put you at the top of the leaderboard.

Football Rules £free
If you’ve only just got swept up in the football fever and don’t quite understand the rules of the game, this app is here to help. It includes the whole FIFA rulebook, including a guide on what all that hand waving the referees are doing actually means. 

FIFA 10 £5.99
Half-time breaks demand something to keep you entertained, so have this portable version of FIFA within arm's reach at all times. While this version isn’t as pretty as its full-size console counterparts, EA has managed to squeeze just about everything else onto the iPhone. Great for quick grudge matches.

World Cup Factoids and History £free
A tournament like this is the perfect chance to show off your encyclopaedic knowledge of every aspect of World Cups past and present. To really shame your friends, pull out a few facts from before you were even born. Just keep the iPhone hidden so you don’t lose credibility.

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