FIFA World Cup Group Tiebreaker Rules Explained

The World Cup began on Nov. 20 when the 32 nations vying for international glory opened group stage action in Qatar.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup took center stage on Nov. 20, when the 32 nations vying for international glory opened group stage action in Qatar.

Over the course of 2.5 weeks, the group stage will see each country (Groups A-H) compete in three matches to determine who will advance to the Round of 16, which begins Dec. 3. The remaining teams will then face off in the quarterfinals from Dec. 9 to 12, with the four top countries moving on to the semifinals and a chance to claim a coveted berth in the World Cup final on Dec. 18.

The group stage promises to bring a number of compelling matches as the world’s greatest players battle to keep their team’s hopes alive. Their quest to achieve that feat comes with raised stakes considering only the two teams with the highest point totals in each group can advance to the next round.

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However, there is a scenario in which two or more teams finish group play with the same point total, subjecting those teams to a list of tiebreaker rules to decide the rankings. Here is a breakdown of each rule used by World Cup officials in the evaluation process: 

1. Highest number of points	2. Goal difference	3. Goals scored
Each of the 32 teams tallies three points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss. If two or more teams end the group stage with same point total, a decision will be made using rule No. 2.	If two or more teams end the group stage with the same point total, officials will rule in favor of the team with the greatest goal difference based on the goals scored in their respective matches. If the teams remain tied after criteria No. 1 and 2, a decision will be made using rule No. 3.	If the teams remain tied after (1) and (2), the team with the most goals scored in their respective matches will advance to the next round. If the teams remain tied after the first three rules, a decision will be made using rule No. 4.

In the event a decision cannot be reached using the first three rules, officials would continue their evaluation using the following criteria:

4. Point total in head-to-head matches	5. Goal difference in head-to-head matches	6. Goals scored in head-to-head matches.
Officials will make a decision based on which team tallied the most points in matches played between the countries involved, with the team with the most wins advancing to the Round of 16. If a ruling still cannot be determined, a decision will be made using rule No. 5.	Officials will make a decision based on which team has the greatest goal difference in games played between the countries involved. If a ruling still cannot be determined, a decision will be made using rule No. 6.	Officials will make a decision based on which team has the greatest goal difference in games played between the countries involved. If a ruling still cannot be determined, a decision will be made using rule No. 7.

Should the teams remain in a deadlock after the first six rules, a decision will be made using the fair play system and, finally, a drawing of lots by the FIFA Organizing Committee as the last resort.

An oft-debated topic since Senegal’s elimination in 2018, the fair play system determines which team will advance based on which team has the fewest penalties following their respective matches. Each team loses a point for each yellow card, three points for an indirect red card (second yellow card), four points for a direct red card and five points for yellow and direct red cards.