Two teams finish level on points and the trophy, a play-off place or relegation depends on which is ranked higher. If the rule is not written down before the season, the argument starts after the last game. This page shows the usual order and a four-team season where the choice of rule changes the table.
Open the free league tool (type results into the standings box and tick head-to-head)
Some leagues put overall goal difference before head-to-head. Both are legitimate; choose one, publish it and keep it.
Four invented teams, six matches played:
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Owls v Lynx | 0 - 1 |
| Owls v Hawks | 6 - 0 |
| Owls v Otters | 1 - 0 |
| Lynx v Hawks | 0 - 1 |
| Lynx v Otters | 1 - 0 |
| Hawks v Otters | 0 - 0 |
Owls and Lynx both have 6 points. Ranked by overall goal difference, Owls (+6) are first and Lynx (+1) second. Ranked head-to-head, Lynx are first, because they won the one match between the two:
| Rank | Overall goal difference first | Head-to-head first |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owls | Lynx |
| 2 | Lynx | Owls |
| 3 | Hawks | Hawks |
| 4 | Otters | Otters |
The six-goal win over Hawks is why Owls lead on goal difference, but it says nothing about how Owls did against Lynx. Pick the rule that matches how your league wants to reward results.
Pick the order before the season and publish it. The usual order is points, then head-to-head (points, then goal difference, among only the tied teams), then overall goal difference, then goals scored, then a coin toss or play-off. The tool applies exactly this order when you tick head-to-head.
Goal difference counts every match a team played, including big wins over weak teams. Head-to-head counts only the matches between the teams that are level, so it answers who was better when they met.
Head-to-head is worked out as a mini-table of only the matches among those three teams. Do not compare two of them by their single meeting and ignore the third; use the mini-table's points, then goal difference, then goals scored.
Yes. A deduction or bonus is added to the team's table points first, then every tie-break runs on the adjusted points. In the tool write a line such as Owls -3 pts (late fee) in the results box.
Related: how to make a round-robin schedule, and Swiss tournaments, which break ties by Buchholz.