How does qualification for the World Cup knockout stage work?

Goal difference, which since 1970 has been Fifa's tiebreaker of choice, is now superseded by head-to-head results, the method long favoured by Uefa.

Traditionalists may be aghast, but those in favour say head-to-head is a fairer comparison of even teams than goal difference, which is often skewed by thrashings handed out to weaker sides.

If one team tied on points with another has beaten them in the group stage, the winners will finish higher up the table. So far, so simple.

Where multiple teams are level on points, a mini-league is created, removing the results against the remaining teams. Those tied teams are ranked by points won in the games involving each other, then by goal difference, followed by goals scored.

If that does not split them, the next criteria are goal difference followed by goals scored - for the group overall. Still level? Fifa's catchily named Team Conduct Score (TCS) comes into play.

What might commonly be referred to as a team's fair play or disciplinary record, each nation started the tournament on zero and are deducted points for any cards shown to players or - coaching staff beware - team officials, as below:

Yellow card -1

Red card for two yellows -3

Straight red card -4

Yellow then straight red -5

The closer to zero, the better the score. South Africa, for example, have the worst TCS in the tournament so far, sitting on -12 after receiving two straight red cards and four yellows. At this stage, 14 teams remain on zero.

If, somehow, the teams are still level, whoever had the higher Fifa ranking in June's published update will prevail.

The more optimistic fans may have already started plotting their team's path to the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July, a task that is again made easier by our predictor tool.

As it stands, England, who are top of Group L, would play Portugal, who are third in Group K, in Atlanta on 1 July.

The path to the final for Thomas Tuchel's side, assuming the favourites progress in each hypothetical tie, would currently involve overcoming Portugal, Spain, France or Brazil, and Argentina - an unenviable run for any aspiring winner.

Group C's Scotland, who are currently the highest ranked of the 12 third-placed teams - only four of whom have played twice - would take on Group E leaders Germany in Boston on 29 June.

Their half of the draw is less stacked with quality. Scotland or Germany could face the Netherlands in the last 16, Morocco would fancy their chances of another deep run, while the United States, if they can maintain their momentum, have a shot at reaching at least the quarter-finals.

Clearly, the current forecast comes with the enormous caveat that plenty will change in the coming days. The third-place picture will not become fully clear until the last group games are wrapped up on 29 June.

Each point, each goal, and even each card really does count.