The FIFA  World Cup in Qatar  is in full swing, with the tension and drama rising as teams battle to advance from the group stage and book their place in the Knock-out round.

As is always the case at the World Cup, a number of groups will feature teams finishing up on the same number of points.

And that is certainly applies to 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar , with several groups looking evenly poised ahead of the final round of matches.

Here is everything you need to know.

How are World Cup groups decided?

If two or more teams are level on points after every group stage match has been played, then teams will firstly be separated by goal difference.

If goal difference is equal, then teams will be split based on the number of goals they have scored in the group stage.

Should the number of goals scored also be the same, then the next tiebreaker will be the head-to-head record between the teams.

In the event that teams still cannot be separated, then fair play records would come into the equation.

The team with the fewest discipline points acquired from their group stage fixtures would finish ahead in the final standings.

The discipline points are calculated as follows:

• Yellow card – One point
• Indirect red card (two yellow cards) – Three points
• Direct red card – Four points
• Yellow card then direct red card – Five points

And if teams still cannot split, then the only option left to determine the final group standings is the drawing of lots, which has only happened once in the history of the World Cup.

At the 1990 World Cup, when the four best third-placed teams advanced, lots were needed to separate the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands were tied in second behind England.

The Irish won the drawing of lots which meant they advanced as group runners-up, while the Dutch progressed as the third-placed team.

As such, no team has ever been eliminated from the World Cup following the drawing of lots.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com