The top 10 World Cup iPhone apps

iSouthafrica 2010 -- South Africa 2010 World Cup Guide

Price: $1.19

No need to be kept out of the loop if you don't have an Internet connection for your iPhone — [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/isouthafrica-2010-south-africa/id317754877?mt=8#|iSouthafrica 2010]] gives the offline viewer all the information they need to follow the World Cup. The comprehensive match guide gives a complete schedule of all matches, including the date, stage and city. Information is categorised neatly into Host Cities, Stadiums, Groups and Teams. Updates can be procured online, but the app serves its simple purpose well without an Internet connection. iSouthafrica 2010 is currently available for $1.19 at the App Store.
World Cup Trivia Challenge

Price: $2.49

Think you know which English player is remembered for ending a 1989 qualifying game against Sweden wearing a blood-soaked shirt and head-bandage? Then this may well be the iPhone app for you. [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/world-cup-trivia-challenge/id322983904?mt=8|World Cup Trivia Challenge]] is for die-hard FIFA fans, with more than 650 questions spanning across the history of the World Cup. The app lets two players to test each other’s knowledge in a virtual World Cup, answering questions for goals. The game offers three different game modes to keep players interested. World Cup Trivia Challenge is available in the App Store now for $2.49, while the trial version, [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/world-cup-trivia-challenge/id333254222?mt=8#|WCTC Lite]] can be downloaded for free with only 50 questions.
The much anticipated 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa kicks off in less than 90 days, and while some may be making the trek to see the games live (or scabbing their mate's new plasma), everybody else will be able to enjoy the games from any part of the world with a barrage of iPhone apps tailored to soccer lovers worldwide.
We've rounded up the best iPhone World Cup apps to keep you ahead of the world game.

World Cup Countdown

Price: Free

For the fanatics on the edges of their seats, [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/world-cup-countdown/id345557848?mt=8|World Cup Countdown]] counts down the days, minutes, hours, and seconds until the kick off of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The app acts as a digital clock while counting down the days, with the simple interface displaying the time and date below South African scenery. Overriding the iPhone’s auto-lock setting to stop it going into sleep mode, while the phone is docked the app can let it act as a somewhat fancy timepiece. When you get bored of watching time tick away, clicking the pictures will bring up either more info on the image or a video, acting like a virtual tour guide of South Africa. Images are displayed for 12 or 24 hour intervals, but the user can choose to change the background. Sick of sitting lion? Try standing elephant! If you find yourself losing count of the days (or even seconds) until the soccer main event comes around, you can pick up World Cup Countdown at the App Store now for free.
ProReferee

Price: Free

It's that time again, as it is every four years, when the referee becomes the devil incarnate. What better way to enjoy the world game than to brush up on reasons to tell off the referee? ProReferee is a free iPhone app for up-and-coming referees, featuring training resources, official refereeing news, online tools and videos.

Stay up to date with the latest reviews. Sign up to [[xref: http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/user/register| GoodGearGuide’s Gear Daily newsletters| Register for GoodGearGuide’s Gear Daily newsletters]]

Follow GoodGearGuide on Twitter: [[xref:http://twitter.com/Goodgearguide|@Goodgearguide|Follow Goodgearguide on Twitter]]
World Football Predictor

Price: Free

Almost everyone suddenly becomes the foremost authority on football every four years when World Cup time rolls by, and thanks to the [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/world-football-predictor/id343069752?mt=8#|World Football Predictor]], so can you! Users are able to predict scores for all FIFA matches and compare those to the real results, sharing their predictions with friends on the app server and over Twitter. The app instantly brings up group standings based on predictions, so you can see who would be in the finals if your hypothetical outcome came true. For those who lose track of group scores and outcomes, the app is able to bring up real scores alongside your predictions and can answer questions like, "If Italy beats Portugal, who will play in the final?" For all the closet know-it-alls, World Football Predictor is available free from the App Store.
LiveScore

Price: Free

LiveScore is an app for avid world game followers. [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/livescore/id356928178?mt=8#|LiveScore for iPhone]] brings live football scores from leagues, cup competitions and championships worldwide to the smartphone, as well as other sports like tennis, basketball and hockey. Of course, it will also provide World Cup score updates. With a user base of more than 30 million, LiveScore claims to offer fast connections worldwide by connecting users to the nearest server to offer speeds that are "very fast and responsive even on slow connection." While you sit around and wait for the World Cup, LiveScore is the perfect companion for preoccupying yourself with all the other soccer on offer, and it’s free from the App Store now. Future versions will add more functionality, but these upgrades will come at an additional cost.
World Cup 2010 Venues

Price: $1.19

Football enthusiasts taking the trip out to South Africa to see the games live will find a handy companion in the [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/world-cup-2010-venues/id342127018?mt=8|World Cup 2010 Venues app]]. Using the iPhone’s in-built GPS, the Venues app will tell you exactly how far away you are from each of the 10 stadiums for South Africa 2010. The app displays information on all the venues, including their seating capacity, location and which venues are closest to your position. Users can also save their own destinations and share these locations with others, making this the ultimate map for soccer fans new to South Africa. If you’re travelling up to see the World Cup, you can download World Cup 2010 Venues from the App Store for $1.19.
Football Soccer Worldcup Penalties

Price: $1.19

Those who remember the 2006 World Cup penalty shootout in the final between Italy and France know how tense penalties can be. [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/football-soccer-worldcup-penalties/id334089057?mt=8#|Football Soccer Worldcup Penalties]] lets players relive the very same hair-pulling frustration of World Cup penalty shootouts. The game features 3D animated characters and a list of 32 countries to choose from. Players can play against the computer or against friends on the one iPhone. Users can also choose how they want to play, either swiping their finger across the screen to kick the ball or clicking where they want the ball to go. If you're looking for some FIFA-themed fun to whittle away the time until the World Cup hits, you can grab Football Soccer Worldcup Penalties from the App Store today for $1.19.
Southafrica2010 World Soccer Cup Tracker

Price: $1.19

The [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/southafrica2010-world-soccer/id309469003?mt=8|Southafrica 2010 World Soccer Cup Tracker]] is designed to offer up-to-date info on the cup in a stylish yet simple layout. Content and updates can be tailored to users' geographical location, so those at the live games can find game stats and other info relevant to them on the fly. These users will also have access to directions and maps to each game. The app isn’t only for those lucky enough to be attending the World Cup, though. The 'GameCast' feature will deliver sound and visual alerts every time something exciting happens during games once the tournament starts. Up-to-date news is available via four separate official FIFA RSS feeds alongside general information on the tournament and player and team biographies linked to Wikipedia. All this is displayed in a handy bundle, letting users find information such as the round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals and finals in a single view. The SouthAfrica2010 World Soccer Cup Tracker is available now with a $1.19 price tag.
South Africa 2010 tracker

Price: Free

Tracking World Cup results on the go is this app's speciality, offering a simple layout for the latest match scores. The [[xref:http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/south-africa-2010-tracker/id341769623?mt=8#|South Africa 2010 tracker]] offers live scores and schedules, and allows users to filter results to display their favourite country’s standings in the first round. Simply shaking the iPhone or iPod Touch updates match information and results, while there is also a countdown timer, venue info and, in the next update, maps for travelling to each venue for the keen football tourist. The South Africa 2010 tracker is free for the first round of the World Cup, but to keep seeing results in the knockout stages you’ll have to make an in-app purchase of $2.49.