FIFA World Cup 2022: Scenarios, standings, tiebreaker as USA set to face Netherlands in knockout stage

We are reaching the commercial end of the World Cup group stage with Groups A and B finished and dusted. So far, France, Portugal, England, Senegal, the United States, the Netherlands and Brazil have booked passage to the round of 16. Nine others will join them on the last day of each group. Qatar also joined South Africa as the only World Cup hosts to never manage to qualify for the group stage. Let’s see who can join the trio in the last 16 and what is their path to get there.

When it comes to tiebreakers, the start is simple with the team with the most points advancing. If two teams are tied on points, it will go towards their overall goal difference. If they still cannot be separated, the next team to score the most goals will be the ones to advance. The rules will then be reapplied with only the head-to-head match between the two tied teams. Thus, the total points in these matches are then followed by the head-to-head goal difference and goals scored. If they make it through to the end and can’t be separated, it eventually goes to the fair play system.

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The fair play system will see the team with the fewest penalties in matches advance. So a team loses one point per yellow card, three points for each red card caused by a second yellow card, four points for a consecutive red card and if a yellow is followed by a consecutive red card, it will count as five points.

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Here are the groups including all the groups that have played two matches

group A

• Netherlands: Group winners.
• Senegal: The second place
• Ecuador: Eliminated
• Qatar: Eliminated

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Group B

• England: Group winners.
• United States: Second place.
• Iran: Eliminated.
• Wales: Eliminated.

Group C

• Poland: Can win the group and qualify for the Round of 16 with a win over Argentina. Can also qualify for Round of 16 with a draw but would only win the group in this case if Saudi Arabia draw or lose to Mexico.
• Argentina: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win over Poland. Can also qualify for the Round of 16 with a draw and a draw against Saudi Arabia or a loss by less than three goals against Mexico. Can win the group with a win and a draw or loss in Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Arabia: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win over Mexico. Can also qualify with a draw and a loss to Argentina or a loss and a loss to Argentina by one more goal. (i.e. Saudi Arabia lose 1-0 and Argentina lose 2-0 would see Saudi Arabia advance
• Mexico: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win and a win for Poland over Argentina. Can also qualify by winning and close the goal difference advantage over Poland/Argentina while Argentina beat or draw Poland.

Group D

• France: Qualified for the quarter-finals. Can win the group with a win or draw against Tunisia or a draw or loss against Australia.
• Australia: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Denmark. Can also qualify with a draw and a draw or loss of Tunisia.
• Denmark: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Australia.
• Tunisia: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win over France and Australia losing to Denmark where Tunisia win by more goals than Denmark. Tunisia can also qualify for the round of 16 with a victory over France and a draw against Australia.

Group E

• Spain: Until the round of 16 with a victory or a draw against Japan. Can win the group with a win over Japan. Can also advance with a loss to Japan and a draw between Costa Rica and Germany.
• Japan: Advance to Round of 16 with win over Spain. Can also qualify for the last 16 with a draw against Spain and a draw between Costa Rica and Germany. Can win the group with a win over Spain and have a better goal difference than Costa Rica if they beat Germany.
• Costa Rica: Can advance with a win over Germany and a loss by one of Spain/Japan or a draw between the two. May also advance with a draw and loss by Japan. Can win the group with a win, a loss to Spain and close the six-goal difference between Japan.
• Germany: Can qualify for the last 16 with a win and a loss to Spain or Japan. Can also advance with a victory by more than one goal and a draw with Japan.

Group F

• Croatia: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Belgium. Can also advance with a draw against Belgium and a loss for Morocco against Canada. Can win the group by improving the result of Morocco.
• Morocco: Can advance to Round of 16 with a win or draw against Canada. Can also qualify for the Round of 16 with a loss and a Belgium loss or a loss, a Belgium victory and a better goal difference than Croatia. Can win group by improving Croatia result and making up one goal difference.
• Belgium: Can qualify for the Round of 16 with a win over Croatia. Can also advance with a draw and a defeat of Morocco by more than three goals.
• Canada: Eliminated from the competition for the Round of 16.

Group G

• Brazil: Until the round of 16, can win the group with a victory or a draw against Cameroon or a loss against Switzerland.
• Swiss: Can make the last 16 with a win or draw against Serbia. Can win the group with a win, a loss to Brazil and close the goal difference of three.
• Cameroon: Can make the last 16 with a win against Brazil and a loss against Switzerland. Can also qualify for the round of 16 with a victory over Brazil by more than one goal and a draw between Switzerland and Serbia.
• Serbia: Can make the last 16 with a win over Switzerland and a loss to Cameroon.

Group H

• Portugal: Until the round of 16. Can win the group with a win or draw against South Korea or a loss against Ghana.
• Ghana: Can make the last 16 with a win or draw against Uruguay. With a draw, they will need to have a better goal difference than South Korea if they beat Portugal.
• South Korea: Can make the last 16 with a win against Portugal and a loss or draw against Ghana against Uruguay.
• Uruguay: Can make the last 16 with a win over Ghana and a loss or draw to South Korea against Portugal. If South Korea wins with Uruguay, it will be a tiebreaker.