How the striking tie-breaker criteria works in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The second round of matches at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup wraps up this Sunday. Starting Monday, June 23, the final group games will determine which teams advance to the Round of 16. Given the close competition, multiple groups could see teams tied on points, making tiebreakers especially relevant.

We’re getting closer to the end of the group stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The second round of matches will conclude this Sunday, and starting Monday, June 23, the final matchday will kick off — with knockout stage spots on the line. Given how tight many of the groups are, it’s likely that several will end with teams tied on points. But unlike in other tournaments, the tiebreaking criteria here follow slightly different rules.

Tiebreaking criteria

According to the tournament’s official regulations, if two or more teams are tied on points at the end of the group stage, the following tiebreakers will be applied in order:

a) Higher number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams in question
b) Superior goal difference from the group matches between the teams in question
c) Higher number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams in question

If the tie persists after applying these criteria, the following additional rules will be used:

d) Superior goal difference in all group matches
e) Higher number of goals scored in all group matches
f) Greater number of fair play points, based on cards received:

• Yellow card: –1 point
• Indirect red card (two yellows): –3 points
• Direct red card: –4 points
• Yellow card followed by direct red: –5 points

Key difference compared to other tournaments

What makes this system unique is that it emphasizes head-to-head performance over overall group stats — unlike many other tournaments that use overall goal difference or total goals scored as the first tiebreaker.

For example, if Group E ends with River Plate, Inter, and Monterrey all tied on points, any goals scored against the already eliminated Urawa Red Diamonds will be excluded from the initial tiebreaker calculations. Only the direct results between the tied teams will matter in the first steps of the tiebreaking process.