Rules & FAQ

The FIFA World Cup operates under a comprehensive rules framework where each regulation connects to others, forming an integrated system that determines tournament outcomes. Understanding these rules in isolation often leads to confusion—they must be viewed as interconnected components.

Group Stage Rankings: Teams earn points through wins (3 points) and draws (1 point). When teams finish with equal points, FIFA applies a sequential tiebreaker system: goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, and ultimately fair play points or drawing of lots. This hierarchy ensures every scenario has a definitive resolution.

Qualification Scenarios: A team's fate depends not just on their own results but on outcomes across the entire group. A team with 4 points can be eliminated if tiebreakers favor opponents, while a team with 3 points might advance as a best third-placed team. These scenarios, though counterintuitive, are fully compliant with FIFA regulations.

Tournament Draw Mechanisms: The World Cup draw is not purely random. Seeding based on FIFA rankings, geographic separation rules, and continental restrictions all shape group composition. Teams from the same confederation (except UEFA) cannot be placed in the same group, ensuring global representation.

Knockout Stage Progression: The bracket structure is predetermined before the draw, with group winners and runners-up following fixed paths. This design prevents certain matchups until later rounds and creates balanced competition throughout the tournament.

CupIndex provides detailed explanations for each rule, helping fans understand not just what the rules say, but how they interact to produce real tournament outcomes.