In football tournaments, especially in cup competitions with a group stage, the rules on how to determine which teams advance from the groups can sometimes be confusing. It confusing just like determining if a scenario is an own goal or deflection.
Many tournaments use a best loser or best third-placed team rule to decide which of the third-placed teams in the groups advance to the knock-out stages.
This allows more teams to have a shot at progressing, even if they don’t finish in the top two places in their group. The best-loser rule adds an element of drama and suspense to the group stage.
Best Loser in Group Stage
In tournaments with a group stage, teams are drawn into groups of 3 or 4 teams.
They play a round-robin format, with each team playing all the other teams in their group once.
Teams are awarded 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top two teams with the most points advance to the knock-out rounds.
If there is a tie in points between teams in the group, tiebreakers are used to determine the ranking.
Common tiebreakers are goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, and fair play criteria.
The best third-placed team rule comes into play when there are more than 8 groups in the first stage.
If there are 12 or 16 groups with only the top 2 advancing, 8 or 16 teams would qualify for the knock-outs.
Tournament organizers want to allow a few more teams to progress, to maintain excitement.
So the best losers or best third-placed teams rule allows the X third-place teams with the highest number of points to also advance.
X depends on how many additional spots are available in the knock-out stage.
For example, at the FIFA World Cup, 8 groups of 4 teams each compete in the group stage.
The top 2 teams in each group (16 teams) progress to the Round of 16 knock-outs.
FIFA also wanted 4 more teams to advance, so the 4 best third-placed teams also qualify.
Tiebreaking Rules for Best Loser
If multiple teams are tied on points for the best third-placed spot, tiebreakers are used to determine who advances.
The primary tiebreaker is typically goal difference in the group stage. The team with the highest goal difference out of the third-place teams advances.
If teams are still tied on goal difference, then goals scored is the next tiebreaker, followed by other criteria like head-to-head results, fair play points, and sometimes a drawing of lots.
The tiebreaking criteria need to be made clear before the tournament, so teams understand what is required if they finish third in their group.
Examples from Major Tournaments
UEFA European Championship
At Euro 2016, the 24 teams were drawn into 6 groups of 4 teams each. The top 2 teams in each group advanced (12 teams) along with the 4 best third-place teams. In the group stage, the results meant:
- Group A: France, Switzerland
- Group B: England, Wales
- Group C: Germany, Poland
- Group D: Croatia, Spain
- Group E: Italy, Belgium
- Group F: Hungary, Iceland
The four third place teams were Portugal, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Turkey with 3 points each. The tiebreakers of goal difference and goals scored were used to determine the top 4 best losers. Portugal (+2), Slovakia (+2), Northern Ireland (0), and Turkey (-1) advanced.
FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia had 8 groups of 4 teams each. The top 2 teams in each group advanced (16 teams). The tiebreakers separated the four third place teams contesting the best loser spots:
- Colombia: 4 pts, +2 goal difference
- Nigeria: 3 pts, 0 goal difference
- Iceland: 2 pts, -2 goal difference
- Saudi Arabia: 3 pts, -2 goal difference
Based on goal difference, Colombia and Nigeria took the two best third-place spots to advance.
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)
At the 2019 AFCON, the 24 teams were drawn into 6 groups of 4 teams. The top two teams in each group advanced, along with the 4 best third place teams. The results were:
- Group A: Egypt, Uganda
- Group B: Madagascar, Nigeria
- Group C: Algeria, Senegal
- Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast
- Group E: Mali, Tunisia
- Group F: Ghana, Cameroon
The third-place teams were Guinea (4 points), Benin (3 points), Kenya (3 points), South Africa (3 points), DR Congo (3 points) and Angola (2 points). Remember, the next stage of the competition is the round of 16 – meaning a round of 16 teams. So, 4 teams were needed to join the already qualified 12 teams (2 teams qualified from 6 groups of AFCON).
The 4 teams are to be picked as best losers since they do not qualify using the regular position (1st and 2nd).
However, points were used among the 3rd positions which removed Angola from the picture. Guinea qualified as the first-best loser team (only the nation has 4 points among the 3rd positions). 3 spots were left to be picked among Benin (3 points), Kenya (3 points), South Africa (3 points), DR Congo (3 points).
This is where the next criterion comes in, which is Goal Differences (GD). Goal Difference is calculated by subtracting Goal Scored by a team from Goal Conceded (Goal Scored – Goal Conceded).
With the criteria, DR Congo was removed from the picture. It was Benin (3 points), Kenya (3 points), and South Africa (3 points) that were picked as best losers.
Conclusion
The best loser system adds drama to tournament group stages while giving more teams a chance to dream of glory. Clear tiebreaking procedures ensure the most deserving teams’ progress. For soccer fans and teams alike, the best third-place battle provides extra excitement!