Auslosung

Auslosung is a German term for the act of determining outcomes by chance. In sports, it commonly refers to a draw that decides which teams compete against each other, how groups are formed in the initial phase, or how knockout brackets are arranged. More generally, the word can describe any random selection process used to determine results in a competition or lottery.

Typical procedures involve assembling eligible participants into seeded pots according to rankings, and drawing representatives from these pots to assign opponents or groups. The draw is usually conducted under official supervision to ensure fairness, with rules to prevent early-round meetings between teams from the same country or to satisfy broadcast, geographic, or logistical considerations. Some formats impose fixed constraints; others rely on pure randomness.

Group-stage draws in major tournaments, such as the FIFA World Cup or UEFA competitions, use pot-based systems to balance groups by seed, region, or ranking. Knockout draws determine the order of matches in later rounds and may follow bracket rules. Domestic cups sometimes use lottery-style methods to fix early-round pairings. The concept also applies to non-sport lotteries or prize drawings where participants are selected at random.

Due to their impact on competition, draws are often published with transparent procedures and sometimes conducted live. Debates about seedings, perceived biases, or the influence of sponsors reflect ongoing concerns about fairness and integrity.