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Hockey World Cup 2023: What is the tie-breaker rule that will come into play in group stage?

Belgium is the defending champions, having beaten the Netherlands in the 2018 finale by 3-2 in the penalty shootout.

Hockey World Cup 2023: What is the tie-breaker rule that will come into play in group stage?
Image Source: Olympics.com

India is preparing for another huge event in 2023, as Odisha will host the Men's Hockey World Cup. The big hockey event will take place from January 13 to 29 in the cities of Bhubaneshwar and Rourkela in Odisha, with the top 16 teams in the world competing for the top prize.

The 16 best teams in the world, including India, have been divided into four groups. The following are the groups.

Pool A:- Australia, South Africa, France, Argentina

Pool B:- Belgium, Japan, Korea, Germany

Pool C:- Netherlands, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand

Pool D:- India, Wales, Spain, England

The top team from each pool will automatically advance to the next round and take the first four spots in the quarter-finals. Crossover matches between the second and third-placed teams in each group will determine the next four teams to play in the quarter-finals.

The squad will gain two points for each win in the pool stage, and one point for each draw. If two teams are tied on several counts in the table, the tie-breaker rule will be used to determine the teams' ranks in each category.

If two teams are tied on points, the team with the most wins in the group stage will be ranked higher in the pool.

If both the number of points earned and the number of victories are the same for either team, the goal difference, or the difference between the number of goals scored and the number of goals conceded, will be considered. Whoever has the greater goal differential will be ranked higher.

If this is likewise the case, the team with the most goals scored will be considered for the higher rank. If that is also equal, the head-to-head result between the two teams will be ranked higher.

In the previous season, India finished in the quarter-finals. The Men in Blue will be confident of going the distance and winning the coveted championship after their success in Tokyo 2020, when they concluded with a bronze medal.

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