In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, if two or more teams finish level in the group stage, their head-to-head record will be used first to break that tie, followed by the overall goal difference and the total number of goals scored.
If all the above parameters remain the same, the Team Conduct Score becomes the difference maker.
The Team Conduct Score converts the yellow and red cards collected by a team into a disciplinary count, which is then compared to teams tied on all other tiebreakers.
How does the Team Behavior Score work?
A yellow card: – 1 point
A red card as a result of two yellow cards: – 3 points
A direct red card: – 4 points
A yellow card followed by a direct red card: – 5 points
For example, a team with -3 points would finish higher in the group than a team with -5 points
Has it been used before and will it come into play?
In the 2018 edition, the Team Conduct Score was used to determine the second place between Senegal and Japan. Both teams remained level on head-to-head record, goal difference and goals scored at the end of the group stage.
Ultimately, Japan qualified for the Round of 16 because it had a better Conduct Score, minus four points, to Senegal’s minus six points.
In 2026, with the expanded format, the possibility remains that the Conduct Score will be enforced. It will also come into play in the third-placed team’s points table, where the Conduct Score is the fourth tiebreaker after total points, goal difference and goal scored.
If two or more teams achieve the same behavior score after entering the game, their FIFA rankings will be used as the final decision.
Published on June 27, 2026
