World Cup group stage scenarios

Last Updated: Saturday, June 19, 2010
By John F. Molinaro, CBC Sports

It's coming up to the end of the group stage at the FIFA World Cup, so we've done the hard part and broken down what each team has to do to advance to the round of 16.

FIFA uses the following series of tiebreakers when teams finish tied with the same number of points at the end of the group stage:

1. Goal difference.
2. Total goals scored.
3. Head-to-head results (if more than two teams are tied, then results between those teams are calculated using the first two criteria).
4. Drawing of lots.

Remember, the top two teams in each of eight first-round groups move on to the round of 16.
GROUP A

Current standings:

1. Uruguay: 4 points, 3 goals, +3 goal difference
2. Mexico: 4 points, 3 goals, +2 goal difference
3. France: 1 point, 0 goals, -2 goal difference
4. South Africa: 1point, 1 goal, -3 goal difference

Next matches:

June 22: Mexico vs. Uruguay and France vs. South Africa

Uruguay advances:

* with a win or a tie, OR
* if it loses and if France-South Africa tie, OR
* if it loses and if the winner of France-South Africa doesn't own the tiebreaker over Uruguay.

Mexico advances:

* with a win or a tie, OR
* if it loses and if France-South Africa tie, OR
* if it loses and if the winner of France-South Africa doesn't own the tiebreaker over Mexico.

France or South Africa advance:

* if either one wins their match and if they own the tiebreaker over the loser of Mexico-Uruguay.

France and South Africa will be eliminated:

* if they tie OR if Mexico-Uruguay tie.

GROUP B

Current standings:

1. Argentina: 6 points, 5 goals, +4 goal difference
2. South Korea: 3 points, 3 goals, -1 goal difference
3. Greece: 3 points, 2 goals, -1 goal difference
4. Nigeria: 0 points,1 goal, -2 goal difference

Next matches:

June 22: Nigeria vs. South Korea and Greece vs. Argentina

Argentina advances:

* with a win or a tie, OR
* if South Korea ties or loses, OR
* it loses and both South Korea and Greece do not force a tiebreaker with Argentina.

South Korea advances:

* with a win and if Greece does not a) either win by a greater margin than South Korea, or b) win by same margin and score two more goals than South Korea, OR
* with a tie and if Greece ties or loses.

Greece advances:

* with a win and if South Korea ties or loses, OR
* with a win by a greater margin than South Korea, OR
* with a win by the same margin as South Korea and scores two more goals than South Korea, OR
* with a tie and if South Korea loses, OR
* with a win by three goals.

Nigeria advances

* with a win and if Argentina wins.

GROUP C

Current standings:

1. Slovenia: 4 points, 3 goals, +1 goal difference
2. United States: 2 points, 3 goals, 0 goal difference
3. England: 2 points,1 goal, 0 goal difference
4. Algeria: 1 point, 0 goals, -1 goal difference

Next matches:

June 23: Slovenia vs. England and United States vs. Algeria

Slovenia advances:

* with a win or tie, OR
* if it loses and if U.S. and Algeria tie, OR
* if it loses and if Algeria wins, so long as Algeria doesn't force a tiebreaker with Slovenia.

The U.S. advances:

* with a win, OR
* with a tie and if Slovenia-England tie, so long as England does not outscore the U.S. by two goals, OR
* with a tie and if England loses.

England advances:

* with a win, OR
* with a tie and if U.S. and Algeria tie and England outscores the U.S. by three goals.

Algeria advances:

* with a win and if Slovenia wins or ties, OR
* with a win and if Slovenia loses and if Algeria forces a tiebreaker with Slovenia.

Note: If the U.S. ties Algeria and England ties Slovenia, and if England scores exactly two more goals than the U.S., then the U.S. and England would be tied for second place with all of the tiebreakers exhausted. That tie would be broken by drawing lots.
GROUP D

Current standings:

1. Ghana: 4 points, 2 goals, +1 goal difference
2. Germany: 3 points, 4 goals, +3 goal difference
3. Serbia: 3 points,1 goal, 0 goal difference
4. Australia: 1 point, 1 goal, -4 goal difference

Next matches:

June 23: Ghana vs. Germany and Australia vs. Serbia

Ghana advances:

* with a win or tie, OR
* with a loss and if Australia-Serbia tie, so long as Serbia does not own the tiebreaker over Ghana, OR
* with a loss and if Australia wins, so long as Australia does not own the tiebreaker over Ghana.

Germany advances:

* with a win, OR
* with a tie and if Serbia and Australia tie, so long as Serbia does not own the tiebreaker over Germany, OR
* with a tie and if Australia wins, so long as Australia does not own the tiebreaker over Germany.

Serbia advances:

* with a win, OR
* with a tie and if Ghana wins, OR
* with a tie and if Ghana and Germany tie and it owns the tiebreaker over Germany.

Australia advances:

* with a win and if Ghana wins, OR
* with a win and if Germany wins and Australia owns the tiebreaker over Ghana, OR
* with a win and if Ghana and Germany tie and if Australia owns the tiebreaker over Germany.

GROUP E

Current standings:

1. Netherlands: 6 points, 3 goals, +3 goal difference
2. Japan: 3 points, 1 goal, 0 goal difference
3. Denmark: 3 points, 2 goals, -1 goal difference
4. Cameroon: 0 points, 1 goal, -2 goal difference

Next matches:

June 24: Denmark vs. Japan and Cameroon vs. Netherlands

The Netherlandshas already clinched a spot in the second round.

Japan advances:

* with a win, OR
* with a tie.

Denmark advances:

* with a win.

Cameroonhas already been eliminated from the tournament.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifaworldcup/features/story/2010/06/19/sp-wc-tiebreakers.html