What happens if goal difference is the same world cup

If three teams are still tied at this stage, the highest point total in games between the teams involved gets the nod. This tiebreaker comes in to play if there are three teams in the mix.

The team with the highest total points remaining is the one that advances. Any teams still in the tiebreaker have their names printed out and put into balls, which are in turn put into a bowl, just like the group stage draw.

Whichever team is drawn out is given the top spot out of the tiebreaker, while the other has to deal with whatever spot is left — which is almost always a ticket for a trip back home. They sure do. Mexico were on the happy end of a goal differential tiebreaker in , advancing over hosts South Africa in Group A.

The World Cup was the last to lack such drama. Interestingly, that was the first World Cup played under the current team format. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

If teams are totally equal in terms of the aforementioned three criteria, further tie-breakers are used to determine the ranking order. First of all, the head-to-head results between the teams in question come into play. So, if Mexico and Sweden in Group F are tied on points, goal difference and goals scored, the result between them is used, with the winner given precedence. After that, the goal difference in the group games between the teams concerned is used, then the number of goals scored by the teams in those games.

If, after all that, the teams cannot be separated, then the fair play system is used, with the most disciplined of the level teams being rewarded.

For fair play, the team with the greatest number of fair play points is ranked higher. Only one of the following deductions are applied to a single player in a game: a yellow card brings about a deduction of -1, an indirect red second yellow costs -3, a direct red costs -4 and a yellow card plus a direct red card is a deduction of Should the Socceroos win and Denmark lose , both teams would be level on points, goal difference 0 , goals scored 3 and equal on head-to-head having played out a draw.

This would leave Fair Play as the decider, with the Socceroos currently on three yellow cards, while Denmark have received four. Group F is also currently being decided by tie-breaker rules.

With Mexico currently topping the standings on six points, Germany are edging Sweden. But not on points, goal difference or goals scored, with sees Germany and Sweden deadlocked. Instead, the difference is Toni Kroos' 95th minute goal in the game between the two sides. This means Germany has the upper hand on head-to-head, having beaten Sweden