Question Number: 13000

League Specific 6/9/2006

RE: Rec Adult

Zetman of London, England asks...

In the FIFA worldcup, how does the points system work and how many points does a team need to go through to the next stage?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The knockout round has 32 teams,
4 teams in 8 groups .
Each of the 4 teams play 3 matches,
they play each other once in their group and recieve
3 points for a win
1 for a draw
0 for a loss
the top two teams go through out of the four to the next stage of the tournament
A team that wins all three matches would score 9 points and automatically advance.
If every team tied each other than all four teams could wind up with only 3 points apiece

The system of play will be the league system, each team playing one
match against each of the other teams in the same group, with three
points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat.

5. The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as
follows:

a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
here you add the 3 and the 1's and the 0's together

b) goal difference in all group matches;
here you add up all the goals scored FOR the team over the three matches you then subtract the number of goals scored AGAINST them
Tonight for example
Germany scored 4 goals and CostaRica scored 2 goals that gives
GERMANY a PLUS 2 to the good in goal difference 4-2 =+2
and 3 points for the win
Costa Rica a MINUS 2 in goal difference 2-4 = -2
and zero points for the loss
Standing are

Equador scored 2 goals and Poland scored none
Equador a PLUS 2 to the good in goal difference 2-0 =+2
and 3 points for the win
Poland a MINUS 2 in goal difference 0-2 = -2
and zero points for the loss

c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
Here we have the top two teams Germany and Equador tied with 3 points and both a rosy + 2 goal difference but we need a #1 seed and a number #2 seed so Germany scored 4 goals and Equador only 2 goals hence although both go through Germany goes throug as #1 seed based on scoring more goals at THIS point.

If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:

d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between
the teams concerned;
Here if the teams were tied but one team had beaten the other in a head to head match that team would be seeded ahead3 to 0

e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the
teams concerned;
here we have the team having the least amount of goals scored against them in the three matches is seeded ahead

f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the
teams concerned;
Here the team that scored the greatest number of goals in the three matches is seeded ahead

g) drawing of lots by the Organising Committee for the FIFA World
Cup?.
Here basically names are dropped into container the one drawn out is the winner a tough way to lose and God is on your side if you win!

6. The two teams coming first and second in each group qualify for the second round.
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 13007