<p style="margin: 0px 30px 1.875rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.6875rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-language-override: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-box-flex: 0; flex: 0 0 calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); max-width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); color: rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizespeed; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Mexico fell short in Group C based on goal differential even after a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in the final group stage game. Despite Argentina's 2-0 win over Poland, Mexico's minus-one goal differential wasn't enough to surpass Poland's zero.

<p style="margin: 0px 30px 1.875rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.6875rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-language-override: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-box-flex: 0; flex: 0 0 calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); max-width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); color: rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizespeed; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Even if Mexico held on to beat Saudi Arabia 2-0, it would've been eliminated based on yellow cards accumulated. Mexico had picked up seven over the three group stage games, while Poland had just five.

<p style="margin: 0px 30px 1.875rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.6875rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-language-override: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-box-flex: 0; flex: 0 0 calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); max-width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); color: rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizespeed; text-size-adjust: 100%;">At the 2018 World Cup, Japan relied on the fair play rule to advance to the knockout stage and break up a tie with Senegal, who then was eliminated. It marked the first time a team had been eliminated through the rule.

<p style="margin: 0px 30px 1.875rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.6875rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-language-override: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-box-flex: 0; flex: 0 0 calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); max-width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); color: rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizespeed; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Instead of the previous eight-group setup, the 2026 World Cup will feature a record-breaking 48 teams playing in 12 groups, offering more opportunities for tiebreakers to come into play.

<p style="margin: 0px 30px 1.875rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.6875rem; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-language-override: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-box-flex: 0; flex: 0 0 calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); max-width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); width: calc(87.4125% - 3.75px); color: rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizespeed; text-size-adjust: 100%;">So what exactly happens when two teams in the same group are level on points after three matches? Let&rsquo;s break down FIFA&rsquo;s World Cup tiebreaker scenarios: