Goal difference

In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference (that is, goals scored minus goals conceded) is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points. In games with more complex scoring, such as rugby union or basketball, the term point difference may be used instead (total points scored minus total points conceded).

If a team's points and goal difference are equal, then often goals scored is used as a second tiebreaker, with the team scoring the most goals winning. Alternative tiebreakers that may be used include looking at the head-to-head results between sides, playing a playoff, or the drawing of lots.

Goal average is a different scheme that predated goal difference. Using the goal average scheme the number of goals scored is divided by the number of goals conceded. Goal difference replaced goal average in the 1970 World Cup finals and from 1976–77 season in the English Football League. Goal average is also used as the tiebreaker in Australian rules football where it is referred to as "percentage". It is calculated as points scored for divided by points scored against multiplied by 100.

Goal difference v. goal average

The different schemes can lead to strikingly different results. With the following matches:

 

Team A	3–0	Team B

 

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Team B	6–0	Team C

 

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Team A	0–1	Team C

 

Under goal average, Team A would win:

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GA
Team A	3	2	1	0	1	3	1	3
Team B	3	2	1	0	1	6	3	2
Team C	3	2	1	0	1	1	6	0.1667

Under goal difference, Team B would win:

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD
Team B	3	2	1	0	1	6	3	+3
Team A	3	2	1	0	1	3	1	+2
Team C	3	2	1	0	1	1	6	−5

Goal average was replaced by goal difference due to the former's encouragement of lower-scoring games. For example, a team that scores 70 while allowing 40 would have a lesser goal average (1.750) versus another team that scores 69 while allowing 39 (1.769).

Notable examples

England

Since the first Football League Championship in 1888 and the foundation of the Premier League in 1992, the top 2 teams have finished tied on points at the end of the season on just 6 occasions. In 1923–24, 1949–50, 1952–53 and 1964–65 Huddersfield Town, Portsmouth, Arsenal and Manchester United respectively were awarded the titles on the goal average system in use at those times, while in 1988–89 Arsenal took the Championship on the secondary criterion of most goals scored as their goal difference was the same as runner-up Liverpool's.

Therefore, the first English Championship to be decided specifically on goal difference has been the 2011–12 Premier League, with Manchester United and Manchester City tied on 89 points after 38 games, City won the title with a goal difference of 64 compared to United's 56.

England lower divisions

1983–84, Second Division – Chelsea–Sheffield Wednesday

Chelsea 88 points and goal difference 50, Sheffield Wednesday 88 points and goal difference 38.

1989–90, Second Division – Leeds United–Sheffield United

Leeds United 85 points and goal difference 27, Sheffield United 85 points and goal difference 20.

1981–82, Third Division – Burnley–Carlisle United

Burnley 80 points and goal difference 21, Carlisle United 80 points and goal difference 15.

(N.B. in 1996–97 Wigan Athletic and Fulham finished level on 87 points at the top of the Third Division, but Wigan Athletic were awarded the championship on most goals scored, which was the first tie breaker in use in the Football League between 1992 and 1999, although Fulham had the greater goal difference. It reverted to the Goal Difference method from the start of the 1999–2000 season.)

Scotland

In the early days of Scottish league football, two situations arose in which the top two teams in the table had to share the title as neither goal average nor goal difference had been instituted to break ties. The first was the inaugural season, in which Dumbarton and Rangers both earned 29 points and had to play off for the title. The match ended in a 0–0 draw and the teams shared the title. The second happened 19 years later, in the Second Division, when Leith Athletic and Raith Rovers both earned 33 points. This time, the clubs chose not to play off. In 1915 goal average was instituted. On both goal average and goal difference, Dumbarton and Leith would have won their respective divisional titles.

1965, First Division – Hearts-Kilmarnock

Since then, Hearts have more reason than most to curse these rules. In 1965, Hearts lost 2–0 at home on the final day of the season to Kilmarnock, which meant that Kilmarnock won the League Championship on goal average by 1.88 to 1.84. Had the first tie-breaker been goal difference, Hearts would have won the Championship (41 to 29).

1986, Premier Division – Hearts-Celtic

In 1986, Hearts lost 2–0 at Dundee on the final day of the season, which allowed Celtic to win the Championship on goal difference. Had the first tie-breaker been goal average, Hearts would have won the Championship. Hearts have not been Scottish League Champions since 1960.

2003, Premier League – Old Firm

Rangers won the Scottish Premier League in 2003 on goal difference. In the final round of matches, Rangers played Dunfermline, while second-placed Celtic were playing at Kilmarnock. With Celtic and Rangers level on 94 points going into these matches, the Championship would be decided by which team, Celtic or Rangers, performed best during the final round of matches. If both teams won they would each finish on 97 points, and the League would be decided on goal difference. Rangers won 6–1 and Celtic won 4–0, which left Rangers with a goal difference of 73 (101 for and 28 against), and Celtic a goal difference of 72 (98 scored and 26 against) giving Rangers the title.

Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia (1951)

The 1951 Yugoslav First League championship was decided on goal average, with Red Star Belgrade winning the title ahead of Dinamo Zagreb with a 0.013 better goal average. Three rounds before the end of the championship, Dinamo had a five point lead and needed a win to secure the title (as two points were awarded for a win). They lost their first match against Sarajevo 3–1, while Red Star defeated Hajduk Split 1–0. Next match was a direct encounter between the two, which Red Star won 2–1 in Zagreb. In the last round, Dinamo played away against BSK Belgrade and would win a title with a victory, but could also have a chance with a draw. A goalless draw would mean that the following day Red Star must beat rivals Partizan 6–0, 1–1 draw by 4–0, 2–2 draw by 2–0 etc. On 3 November 1951, the match between Dinamo and BSK ended in a 2–2 draw. Next day, at the JNA Stadium in front of 50,000 spectators, Red Star defeated Partizan 2–0 and won their first Yugoslav championship title. Both Red Star and Dinamo finished on 35 points; Red Star's 50 goals for and 21 against gave a goal average of 2.381, while Dinamo's 45 to 19 gave 2.368.

Yugoslavia (1958)

In the 1957–58 Yugoslav First League championship, RNK Split and Budućnost finished the season leveled on points and goal average. Both teams had 25 points, with Budućnost's 30 goals for and 36 against giving a goal average of 0.833, the same as RNK Split's 35 goals for and 42 against. A two-legged play-off match between the two was needed to decide who will enter relegation play-offs. The match in Split ended in a goalless draw, while in the return leg Budućnost defeated RNK Split 4–0. RNK Split entered the relegation play-offs and was relegated in their first season in the top flight.