Two rounds of play-offs are used to determine the remaining two participants in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the participant in the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament. The three best group runners-up (see Paragraph 14.04) are seeded directly to round 2 of the play-offs. The remaining six runners-up contest round 1 of the play-offs.
The play-off ties are determined by means of a draw. The team drawn first plays the tie at home. The play-offs are played on a single-leg basis. If the score is equal at the end of normal time, the provisions of Paragraph 15.01 apply.
The three winners of round 1 of the play-offs qualify for round 2 of the play-offs where they join the three best group runners-up. The two winners of the round 2 play-offs that have the highest ranking (see Paragraph 14.05) qualify directly for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The remaining winner qualifies for the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament.
To compare the rankings between the qualifying groups and to determine the three best runners-up, the results of group runners-up against the teams in sixth place are discarded. The following criteria are applied in the order given:
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higher number of points;
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superior goal difference;
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higher number of goals scored;
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higher number of away goals scored;
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higher number of wins;
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higher number of away wins;
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lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
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higher position in the UEFA women's national team coefficient rankings for the group stage draw (see Annex B.1.2 a.).
To determine the ranking of the play-off winners, the results of the round 2 play-offs (three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat) are added to the results of the group stage matches used to determine the ranking of the group runners-up (see Paragraph 14.04). The following criteria are applied in the order given:
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higher number of points;
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superior goal difference;
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higher number of goals scored;
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higher number of away goals scored;
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higher number of wins;
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higher number of away wins;
-
lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
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higher position in the UEFA women's national team coefficient rankings used for the group stage draw (see Annex B.1.2 a.).