Eighteenth Music World Cup
Tournament details
DatesJuly 4 – July 5 2023
Teams32
Final positions
Champions  Australia (1st title)
Runners-up  Brazil
Third place  Denmark
Fourth place  United States
Tournament statistics
Matches played64
Goals scored960 (15 per match)
Top scorer(s)  Australia (60 points)

This cup, unlike all others, had a qualifying procces that was similar to the one of the actual world cup. You can check the progress here.

Participating teams

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Continent Team Classification Date (Order) Participation Best Performance
Current Consec. Last
Africa   Congo DRC June 29 2023 (19) 3 1 #15 Round of 16 (#15)
  Ethiopia June 29 2023 (16) 1 1 Newcomer
  Ghana June 29 2023 (17) 4 2 #17 Group stage (#6, #14, #17)
  Tunisia June 29 2023 (18) 2 1 #11 Group stage (#11)
Americas   Brazil June 17 2023 (3) 18 18 #17 Champion (#2, #16)
  Canada June 17 2023 (4) 18 18 #17 Champion (#14)
  Jamaica June 30 2023 (20) 14 4 #17 Fourth place (#4, #6)
  Peru July 2 2023 (31) 5 1 #11 Quarter-finals (#5)
  Puerto Rico July 1 2023 (28) 5 1 #11 Round of 16 (#3, #4)
  Trinidad and Tobago June 30 2023 (21) 3 1 #15 Round of 16 (#13)
  United States June 17 2023 (1) 18 18 #17 Runner-up (#1)
Asia   Afghanistan June 30 2023 (22) 1 1 Newcomer
  Indonesia July 2 2023 (30) 1 1 Newcomer
  Japan June 30 2023 (24) 18 18 #17 Champion (#8, #15)
  South Korea June 30 2023 (25) 17 7 #17 Fourth place (#5)
  Thailand June 30 2023 (23) 2 1 #16 Group stage (#16)
Europe   Denmark June 26 2023 (12) 11 4 #17 Champion (#17)
  England June 17 2023 (2) 18 18 #17 Champion (#4, #6. #10)
  Finland June 26 2023 (10) 13 2 #17 Quarter-finals (#15)
  Germany July 1 2023 (29) 18 18 #17 Champion (#1)
  Ireland June 30 2023 (26) 18 18 #17 Champion (#5)
  Italy June 26 2023 (6) 13 3 #17 Runner-up (#6)
  Luxembourg June 26 2023 (14) 2 1 #15 Round of 16 (#15)
  Northern Ireland June 26 2023 (13) 3 1 #11 Round of 16 (#11)
  Poland June 26 2023 (9) 4 3 #17 Quarter-finals (#14, #16, #17)
  Scotland June 26 2023 (8) 18 18 #17 Champion (#7, #12)
  Spain June 30 2023 (27) 7 2 #17 Round of 16 (#4, #8)
  Sweden June 26 2023 (11) 18 18 #17 Champion (#3, #9, #13)
  Switzerland June 26 2023 (15) 6 1 #15 Quarter-finals (#15)
  Turkey June 26 2023 (7) 3 2 #17 Group stage (#14, #17)
Oceania   Australia June 17 2023 (5) 18 18 #17 Runner-up (#12)
  New Zealand July 2 2023 (32) 8 1 #14 Group stage (#2, #3, #9, #14)

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
  Scotland   Brazil   Canada   Sweden   Ireland   England   Japan   Germany
  South Korea   New Zealand   Italy   Australia   Finland   United States   Jamaica   Denmark
  Peru   Switzerland   Spain   Puerto Rico   Trinidad and Tobago   Poland   Northern Ireland   Congo DRC
  Luxembourg   Ethiopia   Afghanistan   Indonesia   Tunisia   Ghana   Turkey   Thailand

Group Stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  South Korea 3 2 1 0 26 22 4 7
  Scotland 3 1 2 0 23 22 1 5
  Luxembourg 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
  Peru 3 0 1 2 20 24 -4 1
Round 1
(Sophie - "Elle")   Scotland 7 – 7   Peru (Smog - "Time for the Blues")
(Mid-Air Thief - "Why")   South Korea 9 – 8   Luxembourg (France Gall - "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son")
Round 2
(Glasvegas - "Daddy's Gone")   Scotland 8 – 8   South Korea (Parannoul - "Today's Sky Is Clear")
(Vicky Leandros - "Après Toi")   Luxembourg 8 – 7   Peru (Daniela Lalita - "Tenía Razón")
Round 3
(Boards of Canada - "Music Is Math")   Scotland 8 – 7   Luxembourg (Corinne Hermès - "Si la Vie Est Cadeau")
(Yma Sumac - "Taita Inty (Virgin of the Sun God)")   Peru 6 – 9   South Korea (Bassagong - "Tang-A")

Group B

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Brazil 3 2 1 0 22 20 2 7
  Ethiopia 3 1 1 1 21 21 0 4
  Switzerland 3 0 3 0 22 22 0 3
  New Zealand 3 0 1 2 22 24 -2 1
Round 1
(Republica - "Change My Way")   Brazil 7 – 7   Switzerland (Anna Aaron - "Mary Ruth")
(Lorde - "Ribs")   New Zealand 7 – 8   Ethiopia (King Kong - "Babylon")
Round 2
(Jorge Ben - "Ôba, Lá Vem Ela")   Brazil 8 – 7   New Zealand (Rosé - "On the Ground")
(Alemeda - "Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows")   Ethiopia 7 – 7   Switzerland (Remo Forrer - "Watergun")
Round 3
(Cansei de Ser Sexy - "Hits Me Like a Rock")   Brazil 7 – 6   Ethiopia (Alemayehu Eshete - "Alteleyeshegnem")
(Erik Truffaz - "Sigfried")   Switzerland 8 – 8   New Zealand (Kimbra - "The Way We Were")

Group C

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Italy 3 1 2 0 22 21 1 5
  Canada 3 1 2 0 22 21 1 5
  Spain 3 0 2 1 20 21 -1 2
  Afghanistan 3 0 2 1 20 21 -1 2

The tiebreaker criteria that put Italy and Spain ahead was which team displayed the best overall group of songs displayed.

Round 1
(Carly Rae Jepsen - "Western Wind")   Canada 7 – 7   Spain (Los Planetas -"Segundo Premio")
(Black Rainbows - "The Prophet")   Italy 7 – 7   Afghanistan (Sonita Alizadeh - "United")
Round 2
(Justin Bieber - "Love Yourself")   Canada 7 – 7   Italy (Premiata Forneria Marconi - "Appena un Po'")
(District Unknown - "64")   Afghanistan 6 – 6   Spain (Camarón de Isla - "La Leyenda del Tiempo")
Round 3
(Bbno$ - "Bad Thoughts")   Canada 8 – 7   Afghanistan (Homayun Sakhi - "Kataghani")
(John Talabot - "Destiny")   Spain 7 – 8   Italy (Not Another Prayer - "Against the Wall")

Group D

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Sweden 3 3 0 0 24 16 8 9
  Australia 3 2 0 1 25 18 7 6
  Indonesia 3 1 0 2 21 24 -3 3
  Puerto Rico 3 0 0 3 12 24 -12 0
Round 1
(Witchcraft - "It's Not Because of You")   Sweden 8 – 2   Puerto Rico (Daddy Yankee - "Con Calma")
(King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - "O.N.E.")   Australia 10 – 6   Indonesia (Efek Rumah Kaca - "Desember")
Round 2
(The Knife - "Heartbeats")   Sweden 8 – 7   Australia (The Triffids - "Wide Open Road")
(Taco - "Puttin' on the Ritz")   Indonesia 8 – 6   Puerto Rico (Residente - "René")
Round 3
(Troubled Horse - "Hurricane")   Sweden 8 – 7   Indonesia (Nadin Amizah - "Bertaut")
(Farruko - "Pepas")   Puerto Rico 4 – 8   Australia (Wolfmother - "White Unicorn")

Group E

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Finland 3 2 1 0 24 22 2 7
  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 21 21 0 4
  Trinidad and Tobago 3 1 0 2 21 21 0 3
  Ireland 3 1 0 2 21 23 -2 3
Round 1
(Aphex Twin - "Pulsewidth")   Ireland 8 – 7   Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad James - "All Gold Everything")
(Husky Rescue - "New Light of Tomorrow")   Finland 8 – 8   Tunisia (Ifriqiyya Electrique - "Stombali - Baba ‘Alaia")
Round 2
(Sinéad O'Connor - "Drink Before the War")   Ireland 7 – 8   Finland (Nightwish - "Gethsemane")
(Anouar Brahem Trio - "Astrakan Café 1")   Tunisia 5 – 7   Trinidad and Tobago (Lord Kitchener - "London is the Place for Me")
Round 3
(Sega Bodega - "Cicada")   Ireland 6 – 8   Tunisia (Carthafo - "Alech")
(Billy Ocean - "Caribbean Queen")   Trinidad and Tobago 7 – 8   Finland (Jess and the Ancient - "Prayer for Death and Fire")

Group F

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  United States 3 1 2 0 25 24 1 5
  Poland 3 1 2 0 23 22 1 5
  Ghana 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
  England 3 0 2 1 22 23 -1 2
Round 1
(Savoy Brown - "Walking on Hot Stones")   England 7 – 7   Poland (Molesta - "Wiedziałem, Że Tak Będzie")
(The Virgina City Revival - "Drink for Free")   United States 9 – 8   Ghana (Moses Sumney - "Make Out in My Car")
Round 2
(PinkPantheress - "Passion")   England 8 – 8   United States (Gil Scott-Heron - "Home Is Where the Hatred Is")
(Ebo Taylor - "Will You Promise")   Ghana 7 – 8   Poland (Riverside - "02 Panic Room")
Round 3
(Kasabian - "Chemicals")   England 7 – 8   Ghana (Marijata - "We Live in Peace")
(Myslovitz - "Długość Dźwięku Samotności")   Poland 8 – 8   United States (Soundgarden - "Non-State Actor")

Group G

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Jamaica 3 1 1 1 24 23 1 4
  Turkey 3 1 1 1 24 24 0 4
  Northern Ireland 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
  Japan 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
Round 1
(SiM - "Under the Tree")   Japan 7 – 7   Northern Ireland (Linda Martin - "Why Me?")
(Augustus Pablo - "Cassava Piece")   Jamaica 8 – 8   Turkey (RSPC - "Etrafındalar")
Round 2
(Fishmans - "Night Cruising")   Japan 6 – 8   Jamaica (Jimmy Cliff - "I Can See Clearly Now")
(Sertab Erener - "Everyway That I Can")   Turkey 8 – 7   Northern Ireland (Darkest Era - "Floodlands")
Round 3
(Miki Matsubara - "Stay With Me")   Japan 9 – 8   Turkey (She Past Away - "Rituel")
(Stiff Little Fingers - "Alternative Ulster")   Northern Ireland 9 – 8   Jamaica (Grace Jones - "Libertango")

Group H

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Germany 3 2 1 0 24 21 3 7
  Denmark 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
  Thailand 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
  Congo DRC 3 0 1 2 22 24 -2 1
Round 1
(Wheel - "At Night They Came Upon Us")   Germany 8 – 8   Congo DRC (Tabu Ley Rochereau - "Hafi Deo")
(Moses - "Changes")   Denmark 8 – 8   Thailand (Phum Viphurit - "Lover Boy")
Round 2
(Atari Teenage Riot - "Revolution Action")   Germany 8 – 7   Denmark (Whigfield - "Saturday Night")
(Ten - "Dream in a Dream")   Thailand 8 – 7   Congo DRC (Fulu Miziki - "Kraut")
Round 3
(Subsignal - "The Bells of Lyonesse")   Germany 8 – 6   Thailand (Thaiboy Digital - "Legendary Member")
(M'Bilia Bel - "Douceur")   Congo DRC 7 – 8   Denmark (Safri Duo - "Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)")

Final stage

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Knockout stage

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Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
 
 
 
  South Korea9+
 
 
 
  Ethiopia9
 
  South Korea9
 
 
 
  Australia10
 
  Italy8
 
 
 
  Australia9
 
  Australia8
 
 
 
  Denmark6
 
  Finland8+
 
 
 
  Poland8
 
  Finland7
 
 
 
  Denmark8
 
  Jamaica8
 
 
 
  Denmark8+
 
  Australia8 (10)
 
 
 
  Brazil8 (7)
 
  Brazil9
 
 
 
  Scotland6
 
  Brazil10
 
 
 
  Canada8
 
  Sweden7
 
 
 
  Canada8
 
  Brazil8+
 
 
 
  United States8Third place
 
  United States8 (9)
 
  
 
  Tunisia8 (8)
 
  United States8+  Denmark8+
 
 
 
  Turkey8  United States8
 
  Germany8
 
 
  Turkey8+
 

Round of 16

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  South Korea9+–9  Ethiopia
"Impulsions" by Yaya Kim "Lantchi Biyé" by Ukandanz

  Italy8–9  Australia
"Gioia e Rivoluzione" by Area "The Key" by Hatchie

  Finland8+–8  Poland
"Mustavalkeaa" by Regina "Addicted to Black Magick" by Dopelord

  Jamaica8–8+  Denmark
"Get Up Stand Up" by Bob Marley & the Wailers "Apocalypso" by Mew

  Brazil9–6  Scotland
"Menti Pra Você, Mas Foi Sem Querer" by Pato Fu "Radiant City" by Robin Guthrie

  Sweden7–8  Canada
"Eyes of Oblivion" by The Hellacopters "Powerless (Say What You Want)" by Nelly Furtado

  United States(9) 8–8 (8)  Tunisia
"Supermoon" by Case / Lang / Veirs
TB: "Drink for Free" by The Virginia City Revival
"Soul Brother" by Dalton
TB: "Strombali - Baba ‘Alaia" by Ifriqiyya Electrique

  Germany8–8+  Turkey
"The Sails of Charon" by Scorpions "İkimiz Bir Fidanız" by Kamuran Akkor

Quarter-finals

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  South Korea9–10  Australia
"Smiley" by Yena "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

  Finland7–8  Denmark
"Elokuun Linnut" by Tenhi "Catch It" by Iceage

  Brazil10–8  Canada
"Crash" by Juçara Marçal "That's the Way It Is" by Daniel Lanois

  United States8+–8  Turkey
"Death Row East" by Nas "Goca Dünya" by Altin Gün

Semifinals

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  Australia8–6  Denmark
"Fingerprints" by Hiatus Kaiyote "Kamikaze" by MØ

  Brazil8+–8  United States
"Todo Sujo de Batom" by Belchior "Lexicon Devil" by Germs

Third place match

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  Denmark8+–8  United States
"Militskivinder" by Kliché "Warped" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Final

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  Australia(10) 8–8 (7)  Brazil
"Magic" by Kylie Minogue
TB: "O.N.E." by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
"Pacífica Pedra Branca" by Jennifer Souza
TB: "Hits Me Like a Rock" by Cansei de Ser Sexy

Results

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18th Music World Cup Champion
 
Australia
(1st title)
Pos. Country Gr Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Final
1   Australia D 7 5 1 1 60 49 11 16
2   Brazil B 7 4 3 0 57 50 7 15
Third-place play-off
3   Denmark H 7 2 3 2 53 54 -1 9
4   United States F 7 1 6 0 57 56 1 9
Quarter-finals eliminations
5   South Korea A 5 2 2 1 44 41 3 8
6   Finland E 5 2 2 1 39 38 1 8
7   Canada C 5 2 2 1 38 38 0 8
8   Turkey G 5 1 3 1 40 40 0 6
Round of 16 eliminations
9   Sweden D 4 3 0 1 31 24 7 9
10   Germany H 4 2 2 0 32 29 3 8
11   Poland F 4 1 3 0 31 30 1 6
12   Jamaica G 4 1 2 1 24 23 1 5
13   Ethiopia B 4 1 2 1 30 30 0 5
14   Italy C 4 1 2 1 30 30 0 5
15   Tunisia E 4 1 2 1 29 29 0 5
16   Scotland A 4 1 2 1 29 31 -2 5
Group stage eliminations
17   Northern Ireland G 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
18   Thailand H 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
19   Japan G 3 1 1 1 22 23 -1 4
20   Switzerland B 3 0 3 0 22 22 0 3
21   Trinidad and Tobago E 3 1 0 2 21 21 0 3
22   Ghana F 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
23   Luxembourg A 3 1 0 2 23 24 -1 3
24   Ireland E 3 1 0 2 21 23 -2 3
25   Indonesia D 3 1 0 2 21 24 -3 3
26   England F 3 0 2 1 22 23 -1 2
27   Spain C 3 0 2 1 20 21 -1 2
28   Afghanistan C 3 0 2 1 20 21 -1 2
29   New Zealand B 3 0 1 2 22 24 -2 1
30   Congo DRC H 3 0 1 2 22 24 -2 1
31   Peru A 3 0 1 2 20 24 -4 1
32   Puerto Rico D 3 0 0 3 12 24 -12 0

Awards

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Categories Team Credit
Best songs 1   Australia "O.N.E." by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
2   Brazil "Crash" by Juçara Marçal
3   Australia "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
4   South Korea "Impulsions" by Yaya Kim
5   Ethiopia "Lantchi Biyé" by Ukandanz
Best newcomer   Ethiopia Itself
Best match   South Korea vs.   Ethiopia Yaya Kim's "Impulsions" vs. Ukandanz's "Lantchi Biyé"
Best underdog   Turkey Itself