The World Cup is well underway, with every team in the tournament having completed their first match.
While some groups have seen international giants pull away, perhaps as expected, others have witnessed repeated draws and left it up in the air as to which teams will secure knockout football.
So, what would happen, and who would progress, if every team finished level on points?
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How would a bore draw group be settled?
It's unlikely but not impossible that all four teams end up on the same number of points, which is why there are plans in place for such a scenario playing out.
Our preference would be for this to be settled with a big old game of Wembley doubles, but, sadly, FIFA takes a far more admin-based approach to dividing teams level on points.
If table positions aren't able to be decided by points, then head-to-head record is first considered, followed by goal difference.
Goals scored are next, then discipline is reviewed, with bookings tallied up and the teams with the fewest progressing.
Finally, a team's position in the FIFA World Rankings is used to determine progression, in the event of ties in all preceding metrics.
Table position deciding criteria in order, 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Points
- Head-to-Head Record
- Head-to-Head Goal Difference
- Head-to-Head Goals Scored
- Goal Difference
- Goals Scored
- Discipline
- FIFA World Rankings
Mock Scenario (Group G Example)
Group G was in danger of such a scenario occurring, before Egypt won their first ever World Cup game against New Zealand in the early hours of Monday morning.
In almost the 60th minute, tied at 1-1, all teams in the group had played two matches, and drawn both.
If, hypothetically, Egypt had secured a stalemate yesterday, not the 3-1 victory they did, then all four teams in Group G would have been level on two points each, with identical head-to-head records, and goal differences of zero.
In that scenario, it would have been New Zealand who topped the group, having scored three goals to Egypt and Iran's two.
Belgium would be rock bottom with one goal, however, with Egypt and Iran tied on two strikes each, then fair play would be considered.
Egypt, whose head-to-head record vs Iran wouldn't have even entered the equation as the pair haven't yet faced off, received three yellow cards in two games.
Iran received just one, meaning they would have taken second position in Group G's table.
In Group G's final fixture, if Iran and Egypt played to a draw of any kind with the former getting two yellow cards more, then the bizarre FIFA World Rankings deciding metric would enter the equation.
Iran and Egypt would each have three points from three draws, a tied head-to-head record, the same number of goals scored, an identical goal difference, and be recipients of the same amount of bookings.
In that scenario, Iran would again leapfrog Egypt a place in Group G's table, as their ranking number is 22 to the Pharaohs' 26.
