Eleventh Music World Cup
Tournament details
DatesMarch 17th – March 20th, 2023
Teams32
Final positions
Champions  Mali (1st title)
Runners-up  Japan
Third place  Greece
Fourth place  Norway
Tournament statistics
Matches played62
Goals scored907 (14.63 per match)
Top scorer(s)  Mali (55 points)

Participating teams

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Continent Team Classification Date (Order) Participation Best Performance
Current Consec. Last
Africa   Mali March 16th, 2023 (26) 6 2 #10 Third place (#5)
  Senegal March 15th, 2023 (16) 3 2 #10 Third place (#8)
  South Africa March 15th, 2023 (15) 9 4 #10 Quarter-finals (#1)
  Tunisia March 15th, 2023 (14) 1 1 Newcomer
  Zambia March 15th, 2023 (23) 6 2 #10 Runner-up (#5)
Americas   Brazil March 14th, 2023 (3) 11 11 #10 Champion (#2)
  Canada March 14th, 2023 (4) 11 11 #10 Runner-up (#10)
  Jamaica March 16th, 2023 (27) 9 1 #9 Fourth place (#4, #6)
  Peru March 14th, 2023 (10) 4 1 #7 Quarter-finals (#5)
  Puerto Rico March 16th, 2023 (31) 4 1 #5 Round of 16 (#3, #4)
  United States March 14th, 2023 (1) 11 11 #10 Runner-up (#1)
  Uruguay March 15th, 2023 (19) 2 1 #9 Round of 16 (#9)
Asia   India March 15th, 2023 (17) 2 1 #8 Quarter-finals (#8)
  Israel March 14th, 2023 (8) 1 1 Newcomer
  Japan March 14th, 2023 (7) 11 11 #10 Champion (#8)
  Philippines March 16th, 2023 (30) 2 2 #10 Group stage (#10)
Europe   Denmark March 14th, 2023 (25) 5 2 #10 Quarter-finals (#10)
  England March 14th, 2023 (2) 11 11 #10 Champion (#4, #6, #10)
  Finland March 16th, 2023 (29) 9 5 #10 Round of 16 (#3, #7, #10)
  France March 15th, 2023 (22) 11 11 #10 Third place (#2)
  Germany March 15th, 2023 (21) 11 11 #10 Champion (#1)
  Greece March 15th, 2023 (18) 3 2 #10 Group stage (#5, #10)
  Iceland March 15th, 2023 (20) 8 4 #10 Quarter-finals (#3, #6)
  Ireland March 14th, 2023 (12) 11 11 #10 Champion (#5)
  Italy March 16th, 2023 (32) 9 7 #10 Runner-up (#6)
  Northern Ireland March 15th, 2023 (13) 2 1 #7 Group stage (#7)
  Norway March 14th, 2023 (11) 10 6 #10 Third place (#6)
  Scotland March 15th, 2023 (24) 11 11 #10 Champion (#7)
  Sweden March 14th, 2023 (9) 11 11 #10 Champion (#3, #9)
  Switzerland March 16th, 2023 (28) 2 2 #10 Group stage (#10)
  Ukraine March 14th, 2023 (6) 2 1 #5 Round of 16 (#5)
Oceania   Australia March 14th, 2023 (5) 11 11 #10 Fourth place (#2)

Draw

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Seeding and drawing

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Pot 1

Top 6/8 teams

Pot 2

Top 12/16 teams

Pot 3

Top 18/24 teams

Pot 4

Top 24/32 teams

Results of the draw

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Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H
  Ireland   England   Canada   Japan   Brazil   Germany   Sweden   Scotland
  Norway   Zambia   Italy   Jamaica   Mali   France   United States   Australia
  South Africa   Iceland   Peru   Denmark   India   Senegal   Finland   Puerto Rico
  Philippines   Uruguay   Switzerland   Ukraine   Northern Ireland   Israel   Tunisia   Greece

Group Stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Philippines 3 2 0 0 23 23 0 6
  Norway 3 1 1 1 21 20 1 4
  South Africa 3 1 1 1 17 17 0 4
  Ireland 3 1 0 2 19 20 -1 3
Round 1
(DJ Kuroneko - "Heartless")   Ireland 3 – 5   South Africa (Freedom's Children - "That Did It")
(Wobbler - "Rendered in Shades of Green")   Norway 7 – 8   Philippines (Freddie Aguilar - "Anak")
Round 2
(Fionn Regan - "Be Good or Be Gone")   Ireland 6 – 8   Norway (Turbonegro - "Denim Demon")
(Beabadoobee - "The Perfect Pair")   Philippines 8 – 6   South Africa (Felix Laband - "Falling Off a Horse")
Round 3
(Thin Lizzy - "Bad Reputation")   Ireland 10 – 7   Philippines (Up Dharma Down - "Oo")
(Dave Matthews - "Stay or Leave")   South Africa 6 – 6   Norway (Motorpsycho - "Feel")

Group B

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  England 3 2 1 0 23 20 3 7
  Iceland 3 1 1 1 21 21 0 4
  Uruguay 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
  Zambia 3 0 1 2 19 21 -2 1
Round 1
(Led Zeppelin - "In the Evening")   England 8 – 7   Iceland (Sólstafir - "Fjara")
(Stevie Vann - "What Would You Say")   Zambia 7 – 8   Uruguay (Jorge Dexler - "Todo Se Transforma")
Round 2
(Kaiser Chiefs - "Oh My God")   England 7 – 7   Zambia (Witch - "Like a Chicken")
(Germán Pascual - "Seek the Truth")   Uruguay 8 – 8   Iceland (Emiliana Torrini - "Jungle Drum")
Round 3
(David Bowie - "Buddha of Suburbia")   England 8 – 6   Uruguay (Los Shakers - "Break It All")
(GusGus - "Why?")   Iceland 6 – 5   Zambia (Sampa the Great - "Lane")

Group C

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Switzerland 3 2 1 0 22 20 2 7
  Canada 3 2 0 1 23 20 3 6
  Italy 3 1 1 1 21 23 -2 4
  Peru 3 0 0 3 17 20 -3 0
Round 1
(Rush - "Nobody's Hero")   Canada 7 – 6   Peru (Immortal Technique - "Harlem Streets")
(Maneskin - "Chosen")   Italy 8 – 8   Switzerland (Circus - "Laughter Lane")
Round 2
(Three Days Grace - "Chalk Outline")   Canada 9 – 6   Italy (Dark Quarterer - "Red Hot Gloves")
(Toad - "They Say I'm Mad")   Switzerland 6 – 5   Peru (Narcosis - "Sucio Policia")
Round 3
(Glass Kites - "In the Night")   Canada 7 – 8   Switzerland (Shora - "Arch & Hum")
(Daniela Lalita - "Tenía Razón")   Peru 6 – 7   Italy (Giancane - "Vecchi di Merda")

Group D

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Denmark 3 3 0 0 24 20 4 9
  Japan 3 2 0 1 26 22 4 6
  Ukraine 3 0 1 2 21 24 -3 1
  Jamaica 3 0 1 2 17 22 -5 1
Round 1
(Cibo Matto - "Sugar Water")   Japan 7 – 9   Denmark (Volbeat - "Cape of Our Hero")
(Koffee - "Toast")   Jamaica 6 – 6   Ukraine (Stoned Jesus - "Here Come the Robots")
Round 2
(Casiopea - "Take Me")   Japan 9 – 5   Jamaica (Canibus - "Buckingham Palace")
(Jinjer - "Pisces")   Ukraine 7 – 8   Denmark (Artillery - "Khomaniac")
Round 3
(Himiko Kikuchi - "Baby Talk")   Japan 10 – 8   Ukraine (Super Pink Moon - "Doomscrolling")
(Day of Phoenix - "If You Ask Me")   Denmark 7 – 6   Jamaica (The Gladiators - "Soul Rebel")

Group E

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Northern Ireland 3 3 0 0 21 18 3 9
  Mali 3 1 1 1 21 19 2 4
  Brazil 3 0 2 1 21 22 -1 2
  India 3 0 1 1 19 23 -4 1
Round 1
(Matanza - "Quanto Mais Feio")   Brazil 8 – 8   India (Bloodywood - "Aaj")
(Ali Farka Touré - "Goye Kur")   Mali 6 – 7   Northern Ireland (Van Morrisson - "Moondance")
Round 2
(Torture Squad - "Horror and Torture")   Brazil 7 – 7   Mali (Les Amazones d'Afrique - "Doona")
(Ash - "Shining Light")   Northern Ireland 7 – 6   India (Prateek Kuhad - "Kasoor")
Round 3
(Raul Seixas - "Medo da Chuva")   Brazil 6 – 7   Northern Ireland (Fruupp - "Decision")
(Peter Cat Recording Co. - "Where the Money Flows")   India 5 – 8   Mali (Tinariwen - "Nannuflay")

Group F

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Senegal 3 2 0 1 20 15 5 6
  Germany 3 2 0 1 21 20 1 6
  France 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
  Israel 3 1 0 2 18 23 -5 3
Round 1
(Kadavar - "El Matador")   Germany 6 – 5   Senegal (Positive Black Soul - "Back Again")
(Gojira - "Stranded")   France 9 – 8   Israel (Orphaned Land - "All Is One")
Round 2
(Helloween - "I Want Out")   Germany 8 – 7   France (Magma - "Udu Wudu")
(Borgore - "Decisions")   Israel 2 – 7   Senegal (Orchestra Baobab - "Kelen Ati Leen")
Round 3
(Blind Guardian - "Mirror Mirror")   Germany 7 – 8   Israel (Ofra Haza - "Im Nin'Alu")
(Youssou N'dour - "Birima")   Senegal 8 – 7   France (St. Germain - "Sure Thing")

Group G

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Finland 3 2 1 0 23 21 2 7
  Sweden 3 1 1 1 24 23 1 4
  United States 3 1 1 1 21 22 -1 4
  Tunisia 3 0 1 2 21 23 -2 1
Round 1
(Blues Pills - "Burned Out")   Sweden 7 – 8   Finland (Amorphis - "Silver Bride")
(Red Hot Chili Peppers - "My Friends")   United States 7 – 6   Tunisia (Dhafer Youssef - "Dance Layan Dance")
Round 2
(Graveyard - "Slow Motion Countdown")   Sweden 8 – 6   United States (Stevie Wonder - "Happier Than the Morning")
(Emel - "Instant")   Tunisia 6 – 7   Finland (Uzva - "Lullaby")
Round 3
(Spiritual Beggars - "Sunrise to Sundown")   Sweden 9 – 9   Tunisia (Myrath - "Believer")
(Jess and the Ancient Ones - "Astral Sabbat")   Finland 8 – 8   United States (Blackwater Holylight - "The Protector")

Group H

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Scotland 3 2 1 0 22 20 2 7
  Greece 3 1 1 1 22 21 1 4
  Australia 3 0 3 0 23 23 0 3
  Puerto Rico 3 0 1 2 17 20 -3 1
Round 1
(The Jesus and Mary Chain - "April Skies")   Scotland 7 – 6   Puerto Rico (Ile - "Tu Rumba")
(Dead Can Dance - "Xavier")   Australia 9 – 9   Greece (Vangelis - "Conquest of Paradise")
Round 2
(Boards of Canada - "Reach for the Dead")   Scotland 8 – 8   Australia (AC/DC - "Hells Bells")
(RSN - "Black Sky")   Greece 7 – 5   Puerto Rico (Héctor Lavoe - "El Cantante")
Round 3
(Eurythmics - "Here Comes the Rain Again")   Scotland 7 – 6   Greece (Fluxion - "Dawn")
(Calle 13 - "Muerte en Hawaii")   Puerto Rico 6 – 6   Australia (Wolfmother - "Special Lady")

Final stage

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Knockout stage

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Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Philippines5
 
 
 
  Iceland9
 
  Iceland8 (4)
 
 
 
  Japan8 (5)
 
  Switzerland5
 
 
 
  Japan6
 
  Japan8
 
 
 
  Greece6
 
  Northern Ireland6
 
 
 
  Germany8
 
  Germany8
 
 
 
  Greece9
 
  Finland7 (4)
 
 
 
  Greece7 (5)
 
  Japan7
 
 
 
  Mali9
 
  England7 (3)
 
 
 
  Norway7 (4)
 
  Norway8
 
 
 
  Denmark7
 
  Denmark7
 
 
 
  Canada6
 
  Norway6
 
 
 
  Mali8Third place
 
  Senegal7
 
  
 
  Mali8
 
  Mali9  Greece8
 
 
 
  Sweden7  Norway7
 
  Scotland7
 
 
  Sweden9
 

Round of 16

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  Philippines5–9  Iceland
"Bawat Piyesa" by Munimuni . "Unison" by Björk
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  Switzerland5–6  Japan
"Into the Crypts of Rays" by Celtic Frost . "I Am Not Maternal" by Otoboke Beaver
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  Northern Ireland6–8  Germany
"Rodney Yates" by David Holmes . "Somewhere at the End" by Carol of Harvest
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  Finland(4) 7–7 (5)  Greece
"Korppi" by Liekki
TB: "Silver Bride" by Amorphis
. "Journey to Narahmon" by Naxatras
TB: "Conquest of Paradise" by Vangelis
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  England(3) 7–7 (4)  Norway
"Message in a Bottle" by The Police
TB: "Buddha of Suburbia" by David Bowie
. "Vocal" by Madrugada
TB: "Rendered in Shades of Green" by Wobbler
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  Denmark7–6  Canada
"Snow Brigade" by Mew . "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen
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  Senegal7–8  Mali
"Sorry Blame It On Me" by Akon . "Chiri Hari" by Samba Touré
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  Scotland7–9  Sweden
"Run" by Snow Patrol . "Writing on the Wall" by Horisont
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Quarter-finals

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  Iceland(4) 8–8 (5)  Japan
"Breathe" by Kontinuum . "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" by Ryuichi Sakamoto
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  Germany8–9  Greece
"Father Storm" by Wucan . "Crossroads" by Hail Spirit Noir
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  Norway8–7  Denmark
"Grá" by Wardruna . "The Juice" by Causa Sui
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  Mali9–7  Sweden
"Manitoumani" by M, Toumani Diabate, Sidiki Diabaté & Fatoumata Diawara . "While the Devil is Asleep" by Spiral Skies
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Semifinals

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  Japan8–6  Greece
"Daydream" by Fishmans . "Break" by Aphrodite's Child
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  Norway6–8  Mali
"Kinetic" by Arcturus . "Bamako" by Songhoy Blues
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Third place match

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  Greece8–7  Norway
"Electric Carve" by 1000Mods . "Everything Matters" by Aurora
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Final

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  Japan7–9  Mali
"Yokogao" by Taeko Ohnuki . "Tisnant an Chatma" by Tamikrest
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Results

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11th Music World Cup Champion
 
Mali
(1st title)
Pos. Country Gr Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Final
1   Mali E 7 5 1 1 55 46 9 16
2   Japan D 7 4 1 2 55 50 5 13
Third-place play-off
3   Greece H 7 3 2 2 52 51 1 11
4   Norway A 7 2 2 3 49 50 -1 8
Quarter-finals eliminations
5   Denmark D 5 4 0 1 38 34 4 12
6   Germany F 5 3 0 2 37 35 2 9
7   Iceland B 5 2 2 1 38 34 4 8
8   Sweden G 5 2 1 2 40 39 1 7
Round of 16 eliminations
9   Northern Ireland E 4 3 0 1 27 26 1 9
10   England B 4 2 2 0 30 27 3 8
11   Finland G 4 2 2 0 30 28 2 8
12   Switzerland C 4 2 1 1 27 26 1 7
13   Scotland H 4 2 1 1 29 29 0 7
14   Senegal F 4 2 0 2 27 23 4 6
15   Canada C 4 2 0 2 29 27 2 6
16   Philippines A 4 2 0 2 28 32 -4 6
Group stage eliminations
17   South Africa A 3 1 1 1 17 17 0 4
18   Uruguay B 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
19   United States G 3 1 1 1 21 22 -1 4
20   Italy C 3 1 1 1 21 23 -2 4
21   France F 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
22   Ireland A 3 1 0 2 19 20 -1 3
23   Israel F 3 1 0 2 18 23 -5 3
24   Australia H 3 0 3 0 23 23 0 3
25   Brazil E 3 0 2 1 21 22 -1 2
26   Tunisia G 3 0 1 2 21 23 -2 1
27   Zambia B 3 0 1 2 19 21 -2 1
28   Ukraine D 3 0 1 2 21 24 -3 1
29   Puerto Rico H 3 0 1 2 17 20 -3 1
30   India E 3 0 1 1 19 23 -4 1
31   Jamaica D 3 0 1 2 17 22 -5 1
32   Peru C 3 0 0 3 17 20 -3 0

Awards

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Categories Team Credit
Best songs 1   Ireland "Bad Reputation" by Thin Lizzy
2   Japan "Baby Talk" by Himiko Kikuchi
3   Mali "Tisnant an Chatma" by Tamikrest
4   Greece "Crossroads" by Hail Spirit Noir
5   Iceland "Unison" by Björk
Best newcomer   Israel Itself
Best match   Germany vs.   Greece "Father Storm" by Wucan vs. "Crossroads" by Hail Spirit Noir
Best underdog   Greece Itself