Change in FIFA regulations placed direct confrontation as the 1st tiebreaker criterion in the group stage
The Haitian and Turkish football teams were the first to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, a private tournament organized by FIFA. Both left the dispute before the last round of the group stage.
Early eliminations result from a change in the regulations: direct confrontation became the 1st tiebreaker criterion between teams with the same score.
The two teams can still reach 3 points in the last round, but they will not be able to leave the last position in their groups. The Haitian and Turkish teams lost direct clashes against opponents they could still reach in the table.
The Haitian team beat the Scottish team 1-0 in the debut and the Brazilian team 3-0 in the 2nd round. Even if the Moroccan team wins in the last match and reaches 3 points, they will not be able to overtake the Scottish team, who won the direct confrontation.
The Turkish team is in a similar situation. The team led by coach Vincenzo Montella lost to the Australian team 2-0 in the debut and to the Paraguayan team 1-0 in the 2nd round.
Even if they defeat the United States team and also reach 3 points, the Turkish team will not be able to overcome the Australian or Paraguayan teams, because they lost direct clashes against both.
OLD RULE X NEW RULE
In previous editions of the World Cup, goal difference was the 1st tiebreaker criterion. In 2026, FIFA placed the results of head-to-head matches before comparing the teams’ overall performance in the group.
When two or more teams finish the group stage with the same score, the following criteria will be applied, in this order:
- highest number of points in games between tied teams;
- better goal difference in these clashes;
- greater number of goals scored in these clashes;
- best goal difference in all group matches;
- highest number of goals scored in all group matches;
- fair play score, based on yellow and red cards received by players and members of the technical committees;
- position in the most recent edition of the FIFA rankings.
The change eliminated the Haitian and Turkish teams before the last round, even though both could still achieve a score that, in other groups, could be enough to advance among the best 3rd placed teams.
