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 is certainly applies to Qatar 2022, with several groups looking evenly poised ahead of the final round of matches.
If England draw with Wales on Tuesday night, the Three Lions could need a tiebreaker to determine if they finish first or second in group B.
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.
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.
MORE : What do England need to do to qualify for the round of 16?
MORE : Who could England play in the World Cup round of 16?
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