Editing 1958 FIFA World Cup (section)

== Format ==
[[File:USSR 1958 2071-2072 1697 0.jpg|thumb|USSR stamps marking the tournament; the [[Soviet Union national football team|Soviet Union]] qualified for the first time]]
The format of the competition changed from [[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]]: 16 teams still competed in four groups of four, but this time each team played each of the other teams in its group at least once, without extra time in the event of a draw. Two points were awarded for a win and one point for a draw. If the first two teams finished on equal points, then [[goal average]] would decide who was placed first and second. As in 1954, if the second and third-placed teams finished on the same points, then there would be a play-off with the winner going through. If a play-off resulted in a draw, goal average from the group games would be used to determine who went through to the next round. If the goal averages were equal, then lots would have been drawn. By the time the competition began, these arrangements were still in discussion. Some teams complained that a play-off match, meaning three games in five days, was too much, and before the second round of group matches, FIFA informed the teams that goal average would be used before resorting to a play-off.<ref name="Norlin117" /> This was overturned when the [[Swedish Football Association]] complained, stating that it was wrong to change the rules mid-tournament, but also because it wanted the extra revenue from playoff matches.<ref name="Norlin117">Norlin, p. 117</ref>

This was the first time that goal average was available to separate teams in a World Cup. It was used to separate the teams finishing first and second in one of the groups. However, all three playoffs finished with decisive results and so it was not needed to separate the teams involved in a tied playoff.

Almost all the matches kicked off simultaneously in each of the three rounds of the group phase, as did the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The exceptions were Sweden's three group matches, all of which were televised by [[Sveriges Radio]]; these started at other times so Swedes could attend other matches without missing their own team's. Apart from these, one match per round was televised, and relayed across Europe by the [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU). Many Swedes bought their first television for the World Cup.

The official ball was the "Top-Star VM-bollen 1958" model made by Sydsvenska Läder & Remfabriks AB (aka "Remmen" or "Sydläder") in [[Ängelholm]]. Four FIFA officials conducted a blind test to choose it from 102 candidates.<ref name="Norlin">Norlin, pp. 130–6</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.balones-oficiales.com/mundial1958.htm|title=Top Star 1958|publisher=balones-oficiales.com|access-date=17 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402132522/http://www.balones-oficiales.com/mundial1958.htm|archive-date=2 April 2012|url-status = dead}}</ref>