FIFA Women's World Cup Sorting Rules: How Group Order Will Be Decided In Australia And New Zealand

The sorting rules for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group stage are different to those often used in UEFA-organized tournaments.

As always, teams will first be separated based on how many points they have.

But while the UEFA Women's Champions League primarily uses head-to-head records to split teams that finish level on points, goal difference matters more at the Women's World Cup.

2023 Women's World Cup Sorting Rules

Head-to-head record is the third tie-breaking method at the Women's World Cup, after goal difference and then goals scored.

Only results from this tournament are considered in terms of the head-to-head record, so this method cannot split two teams that played to a draw during the group stage.

If two or more teams are still level based on points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head results, then the fair play system will be used.

Fair Play System

The team that received the fewest booking points will finish higher.

This happened in Group H at the 2018 Men's World Cup in Russia where Senegal finished third behind Japan on account of having received two more yellow cards.

Fair Play System Points Breakdown

• 1 point for a yellow card
• 3 points for an indirect red card (second yellow card)
• 4 points for a direct red card
• 5 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card

Drawing Lots

If two teams are level on points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head, and the fair play system... FIFA will draw lots to decide who finishes higher.

Drawing lots is basically putting the names of the teams into a bowl and picking a lucky winner randomly.

Only once in FIFA World Cup history has group position been decided by a drawing of lots. This was at the 1990 Men's World Cup when Ireland were drawn out ahead of Holland to finish second in Group F. Holland were not eliminated by this, though, as they still progressed from third place in the 24-team format.

Women's World Cup Sorting Rules Summarized

1. Highest number of points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Points earned in group games between the teams that are tied
5. Goal difference in group games between the teams that are tied
6. Number of goals scored in group games between the teams that are tied
7. Fair play points
8. Drawing of lots

Goal difference is more important than head-to-head records in the sorting rules that will decide the order of placings during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group stage

IMAGO/Action Plus/Aaron Gillions