Vorrunde

Vorrunde is a term used in German to denote the preliminary rounds of a sports tournament. Literally meaning “preliminary round,” it refers to the stage in which participants compete to earn a place in the later, more decisive rounds of the competition. The Vorrunde is typically organized as a group phase in which teams or competitors are divided into pools or groups and play a set number of matches.

In common formats, teams in each group play a round-robin or double round-robin schedule, earning points for wins and draws. Group rankings determine which teams advance to the next stage, such as a Finalrunde, knockout rounds, or a main round. Tiebreakers may include head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, or additional matches.

The Vorrunde is distinct from qualifying or playoff rounds outside the tournament proper. Qualifiers are used to reach the event, while the Vorrunde occurs within the event to determine participants for the subsequent rounds. Some tournaments further subdivide the Vorrunde into subgroups or multiple rounds, before moving to the decisive phase.

Usage varies by sport and tournament. In German-language coverage of events such as ice hockey world championships, handball championships, and sometimes football competitions, the term Vorrunde refers to the initial phase of the competition. Other languages use terms like “group stage” or “preliminary round,” but Vorrunde is the standard German designation.