As the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ qualifying competition approaches its climax, football fans around the world are busy working out what results are needed for their teams to make it to Germany next summer. FIFAworldcup.com is here to provide every armchair coach with the essential tools for navigating their way down the home stretch….
It does not matter if we are talking about the European, African or South American qualifying zones – if you look at the tables you will see a number of teams equal on points. So how is it decided that one team is ranked above another in the league system? Who makes the rules?

The format was officially established by the Organising Committee in Art. 7.7 of the "Regulations for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006", but the short story is as follows.

Adding it up
In the obvious case, if Team A has more points than Team B, Team A has the higher rank. What is not so obvious is if Team A and Team B have the same points. How about if Team C is equal too? No problem!

The first tie-breaker is head-to-head points - not goals. If there are two teams tied, only the two head-to-head home and away games played are taken into consideration. Thus, if Team A wins one and draws one, Team A will have four points and Team B just one. Adding in a Team C, the same concept applies: in this case you add up the points gained from the four matches played by each team against the other two (i.e. for Team A: A v B, B v A, A v C, C v A). So if Team A record two wins, a loss and a draw in those games they will get you a total of seven points.

If teams are still not separated after taking into account head-to-head points, you must look next at their goal difference in their head-to-head encounters.

If they are still equal on head-to-head goal difference, then the greater number of goals scored in the head-to-head matches is the deciding factor. Still equal? Next is goal difference in all the group matches, followed by the greater number of goals scored in all the group matches. If none of the above factors can break the stalemate, a play-off game is held on a neutral ground.

Good to note: as per the regulations, away goals are not taken into consideration at all in the 'league system' group stage.

Fair Play could lead the way in Europe
A total of 14 European teams, including hosts Germany, will qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Did you know that the number of disciplinary points (yellow cards, red cards and suspensions) could have an impact on which sides qualify directly? That's right – Fair Play pays! This is because the eight group winners and two best runners-up qualify directly for the final competition. The remaining six second-placed teams must play off against each other for the final three spots.

But how do you tell which two second-placed teams are the 'best two'? After all, some groups have seven teams, others only six. No problem - only the results against the teams placed in the top six in the section will be taken into consideration. This means that for a group with seven teams, the results against the bottom team do not count.

Again, the obvious applies – if two of the second-placed teams have gained more points than any of the other six second-placed teams, they book a direct ticket to Germany. However, in the event of equal points, other factors come into play.

The first tie-breaker is the goal difference from a team's matches against the top six in their group. Then it is the greater number of goals scored.

Here is where Fair Play comes in: the next factor is the respective teams' disciplinary ranking, in which yellow cards (one point), red cards (two points) and suspensions (one point per match suspension) are added up and the team with fewer points advances directly. In the mathematically unlikely event that there are still two teams even on all criteria, a drawing of lots would be the final determining factor.

The draw for the three play-off matches involving the remaining six European runners-up (to be played 12 and 16 November) will take place in Zurich on 14 October – two days after the final group stage matches are completed.

Play-offs and away goals
In addition to the European play-offs, the team finishing fifth in Asia will play off against the team coming fourth in the North, Central American and Caribbean zone, and the winner of the Oceania preliminary competition will play off against the fifth-placed team from South America for a place in Germany.

For these matches, the knock-out (cup) system will apply (as per Art. 7.9 of the Regulations). This means that for the home and away matches, the team having scored most goals in both games will qualify.

If both teams score the same number of goals in both matches, the goals scored away will be counted as double. If the same number of goals is scored away or both matches end without any goals being scored, two 15-minute periods of extra time shall be played after the second match. If the score is level after extra time, penalty kicks shall be taken to determine the winner.

Enjoy the final matches of the preliminary competition and we'll see you in Germany next year!