According to Sky Sports, Austria currently sits second in Group J, ahead of third-placed Algeria on goal difference; the two teams will face each other in their final group stage match. Argentina has already secured top spot in the group, while Jordan has been eliminated. Once the final whistle blows, Austria and Algeria will know their potential round of 16 opponents. Neither side wants to win.
The report states that Austria might choose to lose their final group stage match at this FIFA World Cup, potentially setting the stage for a controversial conclusion in Group J.
The format and knockout stage qualification rules of the 48-team FIFA World Cup have created this peculiar situation.
Argentina has already secured top spot in Group J and does not need to worry about their final ranking. Austria is currently second in the group, level on points with third-placed Algeria, and ahead only on goal difference. Jordan sits bottom of the table in fourth place, having been eliminated and unable to qualify for the knockout stage.
The second-placed team from Group J will advance to the round of 16 and face the top team from Group H. The Group H leader is most likely Spain, the European champions and strong contenders for this FIFA World Cup.
If the third-placed team from Group J finishes among the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, they can also advance to the round of 16, where they will play against the top team from another group, whose strength varies.
According to current standings, if Algeria qualifies as one of the best third-placed teams, they will most likely face the United States, ranked 17th in the world, in the round of 16.
Although the United States, the host nation, has performed impressively in this tournament, Spain is a considerably tougher opponent given their higher FIFA ranking and pedigree.
However, the knockout stage opponent for the third-placed team in Group J is not fixed and ultimately depends on that team's overall ranking among all third-placed teams.
Algeria might also wish to lose this match; even if the two teams draw, Algeria would remain in third place in the group due to an inferior goal difference.
By the time this match kicks off, all qualification scenarios for both teams will be clear.
This is the final group stage match for Group J. All other group matches will have concluded by then, and Austria and Algeria will know their round of 16 opponents the moment the whistle blows. The match is scheduled for 3 AM British time on Sunday, June 28.
Will "the Disgrace of Gijón" Be Replayed?
Austria and Algeria have featured in controversial matches during the final round of FIFA World Cup group stages before, so this is not the first time such a situation has occurred.
A famous incident occurred at the 1982 FIFA World Cup: West Germany and Austria played out a 1-0 match widely seen as pre-arranged, with West Germany winning. Both teams advanced, while Algeria, also in the same group, was eliminated despite an impressive campaign. This match, named "the Disgrace of Gijón" after the Spanish city where it took place, sparked strong dissatisfaction among football fans worldwide. After this incident, FIFA changed its rules, requiring all final group stage matches to kick off simultaneously to prevent similar "arranged" outcomes.
However, situations where teams deliberately adjust their group stage standings to avoid stronger opponents still occur. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, England manager Gareth Southgate's side lost to Belgium in their final group match, deliberately finishing second to avoid stronger knockout stage opponents and successfully advanced.
England subsequently defeated Colombia and Sweden in the knockout stages but lost to Croatia in the semi-finals. Belgium, as group winners, defeated Japan in the round of 16, then faced Brazil in the quarter-finals and France in the semi-finals.
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