The FIFA Club World Cup is heating up. Two teams from each of the eight groups will move on to the next round. But what if two or more teams end up tied? Think about it – FC Porto and Benfica are already facing off against Palmeiras and Boca Juniors, and they might find themselves in a tight spot. So, how does FIFA break the tie? Here’s the deal:
- First, they look at the teams’ points from the group stage matches.
- Next, they check the goal difference from those same matches.
- Then, they count up the total goals scored by each team in the group stage.
If that still doesn’t settle it, they start over, but this time only looking at the matches between the teams that are still tied. If it’s still a draw, they move on to the next set of rules:
- Goal difference in all group stage matches.
- Total goals scored in all group stage matches.
- Team conduct – they look at the disciplinary record of each team.
- And if all else fails, they hold a draw.
It’s all about finding a fair way to decide which teams move on.