gruppefase

Gruppefase is the term used in Danish and Norwegian for the group stage of a tournament, the early phase where teams are divided into groups and play a round-robin to determine who advances to the knockout rounds. In football and many other team sports, this phase typically features multiple groups, with teams playing against each other within their group.

During the gruppefase, teams usually compete in a round-robin format, often as home-and-away matches. Points are awarded according to results: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero for a loss. After all group matches are completed, teams are ranked by points, with tiebreakers such as head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, disciplinary records, or, in some cases, drawing of lots to break ties.

Advancement conventions vary by competition. Usually the top two teams from each group move on to the knockout phase, but some tournaments also include the best third-placed teams or allow more teams to qualify. The exact number of groups and advancing teams depends on the tournament’s format and total participant count.

Group composition is often determined by a seeding or draw process based on rankings or coefficients, to balance groups and manage geographic considerations. The gruppefase is designed to maximize competitive matches, ensure fairness, and build early-season momentum for teams.

Notable examples of gruppefase in use include the UEFA Champions League group stage, the FIFA World Cup group phase, and various continental championships. Formats can vary, with single or double round-robin structures depending on the event.