Editing 1970 FIFA World Cup (section)

==Format==
The 16 qualified teams were divided into four groups of four. Each group was played as a [[Round-robin tournament|single round-robin]] in which each team would play each of the others in their group once. Teams were ranked by the number of points earned from their matches (two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw), and goal difference was used as the primary tie-breaker; if two teams finished level on both points and goal difference, lots were drawn to separate them. This method was used to separate the top two teams in Group 1 (Soviet Union and Mexico),<ref>{{cite journal |title=Soviet Union wins toss in World Cup |journal=Miami News |date=1970-06-13 |page=2-B}}</ref> but it was not used to separate Bulgaria and Morocco in Group 4, despite them finishing level on points and goal difference, as their final positions did not have any implications for the knockout stage.

The top two teams from each group progressed to the knockout stage. In all knockout matches, extra time was played if the teams were drawn after 90 minutes. If teams were still tied after extra-time, drawing of lots would have been used in all matches other than the final. FIFA did not announce in advance what would happen if the final itself were to be drawn after extra time.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Drawing of lots -- that's how teams will be parted |journal=Evening Standard |location=London |date=1970-05-26 |page=43}}</ref> In the event, all knockout matches were decided in either regular time or extra time.