The Country Movie World Cup
The Country Movie World Cup
I have already watched a film from every country on Earth. Now I want each country to enter a head to head knockout tournament represented by their cinema library.
This is a single knockout tournament of all 214 countries and territories on the site, drawn at random into one giant bracket. For every tie I watch the most-watched film on Letterboxd from each country (one I haven't reviewed before) and the better film goes through. Lose once and you are out. Inspired by the 2026 World Cup, but the only trophy here is for cinema.
How it works
214 countries/territories enter. Because that does not divide neatly into a knockout draw, 42 of them get a random first-round bye straight into the second round; the other 172 fight it out across 86 opening ties. From there it is a clean run - 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, and a champion. 213 ties in all, until one country is left standing.
The one fixed rule: each country is represented by its most popular film on Letterboxd that I have not already reviewed, so every single tie produces a brand-new review on the site. Who wins each head-to-head is my call (judged on Story, Acting, Cinematography, Soundtrack and Enjoyment) that is the fun of it, and you are very welcome to tell me I am wrong.
The bracket
The full draw is live below and updates as results come in. Each tie links to the video - posted on my Tiktok channel https://www.tiktok.com/@movieswithmacca once it is decided.
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Open the full bracket ↗
How the films are chosen
Most popular, not highest rated (on purpose). Going by popularity levels the field: it leans on the films people have actually sought out from each country rather than rewarding the nations with the deepest back catalogues, and it keeps me reviewing titles that real audiences are searching for. The only hard filter is that it has to be a feature I have not already covered, so the tournament keeps adding to the every-country map rather than repeating it.
Follow along
New ties land on TikTok and YouTube throughout the tournament, with a short, honest review of each film and the verdict on the night. The bracket here is the scoreboard; the videos are the matches. Subscribe, pick your dark horse, and argue with my calls in the comments.
Every film I watch for the tournament also gets a full written review here, all gathered in one place: browse every Country Movie World Cup review, newest first.
Frequently asked
When does it run? It kicks off in June 2026, alongside the FIFA World Cup (11 June - 19 July), and carries on from there until we have a champion.
How are the matchups decided? The draw is completely random - no seeding, no protecting the big film nations. That is how you get a first round like Montenegro vs the Philippines.
Which countries are in it? Every one of the 214 countries and territories I have reviewed, including historical states like the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
Can I suggest a film for my country? Yes - if you think I have picked the wrong representative, get in touch via the About page or comment on the videos.