What If Two Teams Finish Level In The Group Stage?

If two or more teams finish level on points at the end of the first round stage, a series of criteria determines their finishing order in the group table.

The first is who has the superior goal difference over the group games.

Should the teams still be level, whichever team has scored the highest number of goals will advance, or if that fails, it will come down to which team took most points when they played each other.

As a final resort, if none of these factors can separate the teams, the World Cup organising committee will draw lots.