FIFA Best runners-up will be determined

 

Following the recent withdrawal of Korea DPR from the preliminary competition for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the Bureau for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers has taken a decision in order to ensure the fairness of the competition for the remaining teams.

In accordance with this decision, the results of all of the Round 2 matches already played by Korea DPR are declared null and void. Consequently, after the conclusion of all groups' Round 2 matches, the results of the matches between the second-placed teams and the fifth-placed teams in groups A to G will not be counted in order to have a balanced final comparison between all group runners-up and therefore, alleviating any possible imbalance between the seven qualifying groups caused by the sudden reduction of Group H to only four teams.

Once this levelling of all groups to four teams has been achieved, the four best runners-up will be determined in the following order of criteria:

1. Greatest number of points obtained from the group matches.
2. Goal difference in the group matches.
3. Greater number of goals scored in the group matches.
4. Fair play points system: fewer number of points calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received by the team in the group phase.
5. Drawing of lots.