Why are the final World Cup matches of the group stage played at the same time? Simultaneous kickoffs explained

Tom Macrae

Why are the final World Cup matches of the group stage played at the same time? Simultaneous kickoffs explained image

One of the beauties of the FIFA World Cup is how you can catch every single match without having to choose between them. 

That is until the closing fixtures of the group stage, where both matches in each group kickoff at exactly the same time.

We've now reached that point in the World Cup with all teams having played their first two matches and many now have one final chance to qualify for the knockouts.

MORE: World Cup injuries 2022 tracker

Why do World Cup final group matches kickoff at the same time?

The final group stage fixtures are played at exactly the same time to ensure that both matches are fully contested by both teams. 

If only one match remains in a World Cup group, the two teams playing will already know exactly what they need to qualify. This can lead to matches being played in an unsporting manner, where teams can agree to settle for a result that benefits them both. 

The English Premier League employs the same rule. All matches on the final weekend are played at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday for precisely the same reason. 

MORE: Round of 16 World Cup 2022: All the teams qualified, bracket, match schedule

When did the World Cup change the kickoffs to be at the same time? 

The final fixtures of the group stages weren't always played simultaneously. It took a controversial exploitation of circumstances in the 1982 World Cup in Spain to force FIFA into making a rule change.

The infamous fixture took place at El Molinon stadium in Gijon, and has come to be known as the "Disgrace of Gijón".

West Germany and Austria went into the game knowing that victory by one or two goals for West Germany would qualify both teams from Group 2, at the expense of Algeria who played their final group game a day earlier.

West Germany took the lead inside the first 10 minutes of the match, which then descended into a largely non-competitive affair with neither side making a concerted effort to score.

The game finished 1-0 meaning Algeria were eliminated, and while FIFA ruled that no rules had been broken the match led to a revised group system in future tournaments with the final two games in each group played simultaneously.

World Cup 2022 final group matches schedule

World Cup Group A final table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Netherlands-Q 7 3 2 0 1 5 1 +4
2. Senegal-Q 6 3 2 1 0 5 4 +1
3. Ecuador-E 4 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1
4. Qatar-E 0 3 0 3 0 1 7 -6
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • = Eliminated

Group A results and fixtures

Date Match  
Sun, Nov. 20 Qatar 0, Ecuador 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Mon, Nov. 21 Senegal 0, Netherlands 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, Nov. 25 Qatar 1, Senegal 3 HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, Nov. 25 Netherlands 1, Ecuador 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Tues, Nov. 29 Netherlands 2, Qatar 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Tues, Nov. 29 Ecuador 1, Senegal 2 HIGHLIGHTS

World Cup Group B final table

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. England-Q 7 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7
2. USA-Q 5 3 1 0 2 2 1 +1
3. Iran-E 3 3 1 2 0 4 7 -3
4. Wales-E 1 3 0 2 1 1 6 -5
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • = Eliminated

Group B results and fixtures

Date Match  
Mon, Nov. 21 England 6, Iran 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Mon, Nov. 21 USA 1, Wales 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, Nov. 25 Wales 0, Iran 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, Nov. 25 England 0, USA 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Tues, Nov. 29 Wales 0, England 3 HIGHLIGHTS
Tues, Nov. 29 Iran 0, USA 1 HIGHLIGHTS

MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)


World Cup Group C table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Argentina-Q 6 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3
2. Poland-Q 4 3 1 1 1 2 2 0
3. Mexico-E 4 3 1 1 1 2 3 -1
4. Saudi Arabia-E 3 3 1 2 0 3 5 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group C match schedule

Date Match   Stadium
Tues, Nov. 22 Argentina 2, S. Arabia 1 HIGHLIGHTS  
Tues, Nov. 22 Mexico 0, Poland 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Sat, Nov. 26 Poland 2, S. Arabia 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Sat, Nov. 26 Argentina 2, Mexico 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Wed, Nov. 30 Poland 0, Argentina 2 HIGHLIGHTS  
Wed, Nov. 30 S. Arabia 1, Mexico 2 HIGHLIGHTS  

World Cup Group D table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. France-Q 6 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3
2. Australia-Q 6 3 2 1 0 1 4 -1
3. Tunisia-E 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 0
4. Denmark-E 1 3 0 2 1 1 3 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group D match schedule

Date Match Time (ET)
Tue, Nov. 22 Denmark 0, Tunisia 0  HIGHLIGHTS
Tue, Nov. 22 France 4, Australia 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Sat, Nov. 26 Tunisia 0, Australia 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Sat, Nov. 26 France 2, Denmark 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Wed, Nov. 30 Tunisia 1, France 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Wed, Nov. 30 Australia 1, Denmark 0 HIGHLIGHTS

World Cup Group E table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Spain 4 2 1 0 1 8 1 +7
2. Japan 3 2 1 1 0 2 2 0
3. Costa Rica 3 2 1 1 0 1 7 -6
4. Germany 1 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group E match schedule

Date Match Time (ET) Stadium
Wed, Nov. 23 Germany 1, Japan 2 HIGHLIGHTS  
Wed, Nov. 23 Spain 7, Costa Rica 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Sun, Nov. 27 Japan 0, Costa Rica 1 HIGHLIGHTS  
Sun, Nov. 27 Spain 1, Germany 1 HIGHLIGHTS  
Thurs, Dec. 1 Japan vs. Spain 2 p.m. Khalifa Int'l
Thurs, Dec. 1 Costa Rica vs. Germany 2 p.m. Al Bayt

World Cup Group F table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Morocco-Q 7 3 2 0 1 4 1 +3
2. Croatia-Q 5 3 1 0 2 4 1 +3
3. Belgium-E 4 3 1 1 1 1 2 -1
4. Canada-E 0 3 0 3 0 2 7 -5
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group F match schedule

Date Match  
Wed, Nov. 23 Morocco 0, Croatia 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Wed, Nov. 23 Belgium 1, Canada 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Sun, Nov. 27 Belgium 0, Morocco 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Sun, Nov. 27 Croatia 4, Canada 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Thurs, Dec. 1 Croatia 0, Belgium 0 HIGHLIGHTS
Thurs, Dec. 1 Canada 1, Morocco 2 HIGHLIGHTS

World Cup Group G table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Brazil-Q 6 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3
2. Switzerland 3 2 1 1 0 1 1 0
3. Cameroon 1 2 0 1 1 3 4 -1
4. Serbia 1 2 0 1 1 3 5 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group G match schedule

Date Match Time (ET) Stadium
Thurs, Nov. 24 Switzerland 1, Cameroon 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Thurs, Nov. 24 Brazil 2, Serbia 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Mon, Nov. 28 Cameroon 3, Serbia 3 HIGHLIGHTS  
Mon, Nov. 28 Brazil 1, Switzerland 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Fri, Dec. 2 Cameroon vs. Brazil 2 p.m. Lusail
Fri, Dec. 2 Serbia vs. Switzerland 2 p.m. Stadium 974

World Cup Group H table & fixtures

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Portugal-Q 6 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3
2. Ghana 3 2 1 1 0 5 5 0
3. S. Korea 1 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1
4. Uruguay 1 2 0 1 1 0 2 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

Group H match schedule

Date Match Time
(ET / GMT)
Stadium
Thu, Nov. 24 Uruguay 0, S. Korea 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Thu, Nov. 24 Portugal 3, Ghana 2 HIGHLIGHTS  
Mon, Nov. 28 South Korea 2, Ghana 3 HIGHLIGHTS  
Mon, Nov. 28 Portugal 2, Uruguay 0 HIGHLIGHTS  
Fri, Dec. 2 South Korea vs. Portugal 10 a.m. Education City
Fri, Dec. 2 Ghana vs. Uruguay 10 a.m. Al Janoub

Tom Macrae

Tom Macrae Photo

Tom joined The Sporting News in 2022 ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. A journalism student at Western Sydney University, Tom covered the 2020/21 A-Leagues season with The Football Sack and is a lifelong Newcastle United fan.