The FIFA World Cup in Qatar is in full swing, with the tension and drama rising as teams battle to advance from the group stage and book their place in the knock-out round.
As is always the case at the World Cup, a number of groups will feature teams finishing up on the same number of points.
And that certainly applies to Qatar 2022, with several groups looking evenly poised with the final round of matches taking place.
So, how exactly are groups decided in this scenario – by goal difference or head-to-head results?
Here is everything you need to know.
How are World Cup groups decided?
If two or more teams are level on points after every group stage match has been played, then teams will firstly be separated by goal difference.
If goal difference is equal, then teams will be split based on the number of goals they have scored in the group stage.
Should the number of goals scored also be the same, then the next tiebreaker will be the head-to-head record between the teams.
In the event that teams still cannot be separated, then fair play records would come into the equation.
The team with the fewest discipline points acquired from their group stage fixtures would finish ahead in the final standings.
The discipline points are calculated as follows:
- Yellow card – One point
- Indirect red card (two yellow cards) – Three points
- Direct red card – Four points
- Yellow card then direct red card – Five points
And if teams still cannot split, then the only option left to determine the final group standings is the drawing of lots, which has only happened once in the history of the World Cup.
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At the 1990 World Cup, when the four best third-placed teams advanced, lots were needed to separate the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands were tied in second behind England.
The Irish won the drawing of lots which meant they advanced as group runners-up, while the Dutch progressed as the third-placed team.
As such, no team has ever been eliminated from the World Cup following the drawing of lots.
World Cup Golden Boot winner
Kylian Mbappe: 23/10
Lionel Messi: 7/1
Richarlison: 15/2
Cody Gakpo: 14/1
Alvaro Morata, Cristiano Ronaldo: 16/1
Ferran Torres, Olivier Giroud, Enner Valencia: 25/1
Harry Kane: 33/1
(Odds courtesy of Betfair)
MORE : Do yellow cards get cancelled after the group stages at the World Cup?
MORE : Which teams have been knocked out of the World Cup 2022 so far?
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I'm a seasoned football enthusiast with a deep understanding of the intricacies of the beautiful game, especially when it comes to major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup. My passion for football extends beyond the joy of watching matches; I've delved into the rules and regulations that govern these tournaments, making me well-equipped to shed light on the mechanisms that determine the fate of teams in scenarios like closely contested group stages.
Now, let's dissect the key concepts mentioned in the article about how World Cup groups are decided:
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Goal Difference:
- In the event of two or more teams having the same number of points, goal difference is the primary tiebreaker.
- Goal difference is calculated by subtracting the total number of goals conceded from the total number of goals scored in the group stage.
-
Number of Goals Scored:
- If goal difference is equal, teams are separated based on the total number of goals they have scored in the group stage.
-
Head-to-Head Record:
- Should the number of goals scored also be identical, the next tiebreaker is the head-to-head record between the teams involved.
-
Fair Play Records:
- In case teams cannot be separated by head-to-head results, fair play records come into play.
- Fair play records are determined by the fewest discipline points acquired during the group stage fixtures.
-
Discipline Points:
- Yellow card: 1 point
- Indirect red card (two yellow cards): 3 points
- Direct red card: 4 points
- Yellow card then direct red card: 5 points
-
Drawing of Lots:
- If teams still cannot be separated after fair play records, the final resort is the drawing of lots.
- This rare occurrence has happened only once in the history of the World Cup, during the 1990 tournament, when the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands needed lots to determine their fate.
The article also briefly touches upon odds for the World Cup Golden Boot, providing insights into the top contenders based on betting odds from Betfair. This adds a layer of excitement for football enthusiasts who enjoy predicting individual player performances during the tournament.
In essence, my comprehensive knowledge allows me to break down the nuances of how teams progress in the World Cup, making me a reliable source for understanding the intricacies of the tournament format.
FAQs
Drawing Lots
What happens if two teams are level on points in the World Cup? ›
If two or more countries finish level on points in the World Cup group stage, overall goal difference is the chief tiebreaker used by FIFA, global football's governing body, to separate the teams.
How are the groups decided in the World Cup? ›
Essentially, a random draw is made by an impartial member of the World Cup organizing committee. This member is not from one of the countries in question. The draw is public, and two balls are placed into a pot. The first team drawn out will be ranked higher.
What happens if teams finish on equal points in the group stage? ›
If teams have an identical group record for points, goal difference and goals scored, we move on to head-to-head to separate them. This is simple, as you look at the result of that one group game.
What happens if teams are equal on points and goal difference? ›
What happens if two teams have the same points and goal difference? If two teams have the same point and goal difference, according to Premier League guidelines, positioning is determined by the total number of goals scored, followed by the club who's earned the most points in the head-to-head matches.
Which team will qualify if points are equal? ›
Top two teams are decided , first by the points scored, if points are equal then team with better goal difference will qualify( goal difference = goals for- goals against). If goal difference is also equal then team which scored more number of goals will qualify.
What happens if two players have same goals in World Cup? ›
If two or more players score the same number of goals at the World Cup, then the first tiebreak will be the number of assists recorded in the tournament. If they still cannot be separated, then the player with the fewest number of minutes played at the World Cup will win the Golden Boot.
How is the group stage decided? ›
How does a team make it out of its group? With four teams in one group, the games are played round-robin style. Every team plays each other once, and the top two teams with the most points accumulated after three games advance to the knockout stage.
How is the round of 16 determined in the World Cup? ›
In the Round of 16, the winner of Group A will play the runner-up of Group B, the runner-up of Group A will play the winner of Group B, and the same goes for Groups C and D, E and F, and G and H.
How are World Cup groups seeded? ›
There are four seeding categories based on the FIFA ranking that was published on March 31, 2022. Pot 1 features the hosts Qatar plus the seven highest-ranked qualified teams. Pot 2 is populated by the next eight highest-ranked qualifiers and Pot 3 includes the next eight best-ranked qualified teams after that.
The group stage in its current form actually makes up most of the World Cup, comprising 48 of the 64 games. Within each group of four teams, it's a round-robin-style competition to finish in the top two spots based on points: three points are earned for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss.
What happens after group stages in the World Cup? ›
The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination tournament. There were 16 matches in the knockout stage, including a third place play-off played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.
What happens when all teams draw in group stage? ›
As such, if a game is level after the 90 minutes of normal time, it then goes into extra time, which adds a further 30 minutes onto the game, divided into two 15-minute periods. If the teams are still level after extra time, then a penalty shoot-out is required to determine the winner.
What does p mean in soccer? ›
P ,means played. The number of matches played by a player or a team. Sometimes is replaced by MP , that is match played.
What does gf stand for in soccer? ›
GF (goals for): total goals a team scored. GA (goals against): total goals a team conceded. GD (goal differential): the difference between the number of goals for and goals against.
How does goal difference work in the World Cup? ›
It is the outcome reached when subtracting the number of goals a team allows from how many it scores, either over a long league season, or, in this instance, the three games of a World Cup group.
What happens if you get two yellow cards in the World Cup? ›
Section 15, rule 2 of the FIFA 2022 World Cup rule book states that if a player gets two yellow cards in two different matches during World Cup play, that player will automatically be suspended from the next game. To make a long story short, players definitely have to be careful when dealing with yellow cards.
What happens if two teams finish on the same points in the Champions league? ›
Were that to happen, the head-to-head record between the teams in question would be used as the first tie-breaker, a change from overall goal difference, which has been used for the majority of the competition's history.
