World Cup teams score points in the group stage , not by “scoring goals” alone. A win gives 3 points, a draw gives 1 point, and a loss gives 0 points.

How it works

  • Win: 3 points.
  • Draw: 1 point each team.
  • Loss: 0 points.

What the points do

Teams are ranked by total points in their group, and the highest-ranked teams advance to the knockout rounds. If teams finish level on points, FIFA uses tiebreakers such as goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, and fair play points.

Simple example

If a team wins one match, draws one, and loses one, it gets 4 points total: 3

  • 1 + 0. That total may be enough to move on, depending on the rest of the group.