BREAKING DOWN THE QUALIFICATION PICTURE
Who needs to do what to qualify for the second round of the World Cup in Germany? We're glad you asked.
Keep in mind that only the top two teams in each of the eight groups move on to the round of 16, and that if two or more countries are tied on points at the end of the first round, a series of tiebreakers will decide the finishing order of the group.
The first tiebreaker is goal difference (a team's +/- rating comparing goals scored to goals conceded) in all three group games.
The second tiebreaker is the greatest number of goals scored in all three group matches.
If two or more teams are still tied, a new set of tiebreakers comes into place:
If the teams are still tied, the World Cup organising committee will draw lots as a last resort.
Got all that? Good. Now let's take a look at all eight groups and see who has to do what to advance to the round of 16.
GROUP A: Germany (nine points) and Ecuador (six points) have qualified for the second round. Poland (three points) and winless Costa Rica have been eliminated.
This group crosses over with Group B in the next round, so Sweden takes on Germany on Saturday in Munich, while England faces Ecuador on Sunday in Stuttgart.GROUP B: By virtue of its 2-2 draw with Sweden, England finished first in Group B with seven points. Sweden took second spot with five points and also moved on to the next round.
Paraguay (three points) and Trinidad and Tobago (one point) finished third and fourth, respectively.
GROUP C: Argentina and the Netherlands finished tied with seven points, but the South Americans claimed first place on goal difference (+7 to +2).
Ivory Coast placed third with three points, while winless Serbia and Montenegro finished fourth.
This group crosses over with Group D in the next round. Argentina plays Mexico on Saturday in Leipzig, while the Netherlands faces Portugal on Sunday in Nuremberg.
GROUP D: Portugal finished first with nine points, while Mexico took second place with four points.
Angola (two points) and Iran (one point) finished third and fourth.
GROUP E: Italy won the group with seven points. Ghana, playing in its first World Cup, finished second with six points.
The Czech Republic (three points) and the United States (one point) have been eliminated.
This group crosses over with Group F. Italy face Australia on Monday in Kaiserslautern and Ghana takes on Brazil the following day in Dortmund.
GROUP F: Brazil (nine points) won the group ahead of Australia (five points).
Croatia (two points) and Japan (one point) have been eliminated.
GROUP G: Switzerland won the group with seven points, France finished second with five points.
South Korea and Togo are eliminated.
This group crosses over with Group H. The Swiss take on Ukraine Monday in Cologne, France squares off against Spain the next day in Hanover.
GROUP H: Spain won the group with nine points, while Ukraine finished second with six points.
Tunisia and Suadi Arabia finished with one point each.
More World Cup Features»
- Top 10 players to watch
- Top 10 young guns to watch
- Top 10 veterans to watch
- CBC Sports Online's World Cup All-Star Team
- Tale of the tape: How France and Italy match up
- World Cup final by the numbers
- The battle for third
- The new Italy
- Fantastic four: the semifinals
- Zidane's last stand
- Italy, Germany renew their World Cup rivalry
- An unbelievable quarter-final round
- When the World Cup is on, no work gets done
- In defence of Italy
- Great drama highlights second round
- A first round to remember
- Brazil always wins in the end
- Argentina's Lionel Messi is the real deal
- For the love of the game, Italian style
- Olympics can't compare with World Cup
- Confessions of a soccer junkie
- Blame Canada!
- England's World Cup chances
- Fans dislike official World Cup beer
- Soccer valley of Ecuador gets global attention
- Glossary of soccer terms
- Lucien Laurent: the World Cup's first goal scorer
- Breaking down the qualification picture