Twentieth Music World Cup
Tournament details
DatesAugust 6 – August 19 2023
Teams32
Final positions
Champions  Iceland (1st title)
Runners-up  Italy
Third place  Canada
Fourth place  Wales
Tournament statistics
Matches played64
Goals scored932 (14.56 per match)
Top scorer(s)  Canada (57 points)

Participating teams

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Continent Team Classification Date (Order) Participation Best Performance
Current Consec. Last
Africa   Mali August 3 2023 (12) 14 2 #19 Champion (#11)
  Nigeria August 5 2023 (25) 12 2 #19 Fourth place (#12)
  Senegal August 5 2023 (32) 5 1 #17 Third place (#8)
  South Africa August 5 2023 (17) 13 1 #15 Quarter-finals (#1)
  Zambia August 5 2023 (21) 13 2 #19 Runner-up (#5)
Americas   Brazil August 2 2023 (3) 20 20 #19 Champion (#2, #16)
  Canada August 2 2023 (4) 20 20 #19 Champion (#14)
  Colombia August 5 2023 (24) 10 1 #17 Quarter-finals (#4)
  Cuba August 5 2023 (22) 7 1 #17 Round of 16 (#8, #13)
  Jamaica August 5 2023 (19) 16 6 #19 Third place (#19)
  United States August 2 2023 (1) 20 20 #19 Runner-up (#1)
Asia   India August 5 2023 (26) 6 1 #17 Quarter-finals (#8)
  Japan August 3 2023 (10) 20 20 #19 Champion (#8, #15)
  South Korea August 4 2023 (13) 19 9 #19 Fourth place (#5)
  Syria August 5 2023 (28) 1 1 Newcomer
Europe   Belgium August 5 2023 (18) 11 1 #15 Quarter-finals (#8)
  Denmark August 4 2023 (15) 13 6 #19 Champion (#17)
  England August 2 2023 (2) 20 20 #19 Champion (#4, #6, #10, #19)
  Finland August 5 2023 (31) 14 1 #18 Quarter-finals (#15, #18)
  France August 3 2023 (7) 19 2 #19 Third place (#2, #17)
  Germany August 3 2023 (11) 20 20 #19 Champion (#1)
  Iceland August 5 2023 (29) 15 2 #19 Fourth place (#13)
  Italy August 4 2023 (14) 14 1 #18 Runner-up (#6)
  Ireland August 3 2023 (9) 20 20 #19 Champion (#5)
  Netherlands August 5 2023 (30) 7 2 #19 Round of 16 (#8)
  Norway August 5 2023 (20) 18 2 #19 Third place (#5)
  Scotland August 3 2023 (6) 20 20 #19 Champion (#7, #12)
  Sweden August 3 2023 (8) 20 20 #19 Champion (#3, #9, #13)
  Switzerland August 5 2023 (27) 8 3 #19 Quarter-finals (#15, #19)
  Wales August 5 2023 (23) 10 2 #19 Quarter-finals (#7, #14)
Oceania   Australia August 2 2023 (5) 20 20 #19 Champion (#18)
  New Zealand August 4 2023 (16) 9 1 #18 Round of 16 (#2, #9, #14)

Draw

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Seeding and drawing

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Pot 1

Top 8 teams

Pot 2

Top 16 teams

Pot 3

Top 24 teams

Pot 4

Top 32 teams

Team Pos. Team Pos. Team Pos. Team Pos.
  Sweden #1   France #9   Zambia #17   Colombia #25
  Brazil #2   United States #10   Jamaica #18   New Zealand #27
  England #3   Ireland #11   Iceland #19   Senegal #28
  Canada #4   Norway #12   Finland #20   Switzerland #29
  Germany #5   Mali #13   Nigeria #21   India #30
  Japan #6   South Korea #14   Belgium #22   Cuba #34
  Australia #7   Denmark #15   Wales #23   Netherlands #38
  Scotland #8   Italy #16   South Africa #24   Syria Debut

Results of the draw

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Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H
  Germany   Canada   Japan   Australia   Scotland   Brazil   England   Sweden
  Ireland   Norway   France   South Korea   United States   Italy   Mali   Denmark
  South Africa   Finland   Iceland   Belgium   Nigeria   Wales   Jamaica   Zambia
  Colombia   India   Senegal   Netherlands   Switzerland   Cuba   New Zealand   Syria

Group Stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Colombia 3 2 1 0 24 21 3 7
  Ireland 3 2 0 1 23 21 2 6
  Germany 3 1 1 1 23 24 -1 4
  South Africa 3 0 0 3 23 27 -4 0
Round 1
(Scorpions - "We Built This House")   Germany 9 – 8   South Africa (Miriam Makeba - "Pata Pata")
(Fontaines D.C. - "Jackie Down the Line")   Ireland 6 – 7   Colombia (Kali Uchis - "I Wish You Roses")
Round 2
(Guano Apes - "Open Your Eyes")   Germany 7 – 9   Ireland (Perry Blake - "The Hunchback of San Francisco")
(Shakira - "Whenever, Wherever")   Colombia 10 – 8   South Africa (Gregory Alan Isakov - "Amsterdam")
Round 3
(Kadavar - "Doomsday Machine")   Germany 7 – 7   Colombia (Bomba Estéreo - "Soy Yo")
(Seether - "Nobody Praying for Me")   South Africa 7 – 8   Ireland (Samantha Mumba - "Gotta Tell You")


Group B

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Canada 3 2 0 1 26 22 4 6
  Norway 3 2 0 1 21 18 3 6
  Finland 3 1 1 1 20 21 -1 4
  India 3 0 1 0 16 22 -6 1
Round 1
(Jeremy Kelly - "Radio One")   Canada 7 – 8   Finland (Jess and the Ancient Ones - "World Paranormal")
(Sahg - "Heksedans")   Norway 6 – 3   India (Sarathy Korwar - "Mumbay")
Round 2
(K. D. Lang - "Constant Craving")   Canada 10 – 8   Norway (Aurora - "Runaway")
(Rupa - "Aaj Shanibar")   India 7 – 7   Finland (Nightwish - "Nemo")
Round 3
(Nelly Furtado - "Say It Right")   Canada 9 – 6   India (Daler Mendhi - "Tunak Tunak Tun")
(Lordi - "Hard Rock Hallelujah")   Finland 5 – 7   Norway (Ulver - "Machine Guns and Peacock Feathers")

Group C

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Iceland 3 3 0 0 22 19 3 9
  Senegal 3 2 0 1 21 19 2 6
  Japan 3 1 0 2 22 23 -1 3
  France 3 0 0 3 20 24 -4 0
Round 1
(Himiko Kikuichi - "Look Your Back!")   Japan 6 – 7   Iceland (The Vintage Caravan - "Hidden Streams")
(Justice - "D.A.N.C.E.")   France 5 – 7   Senegal (Akon - "Don't Matter")
Round 2
(Taeko Ohnuki - "4 A.M.")   Japan 9 – 8   France (Christine and the Queens - "Tears Can Be So Soft")
(Aby Ngana Diop - "Dieleul-Dieleul")   Senegal 6 – 7   Iceland (GusGus - "Polyesterday")
Round 3
(Susumu Hirasawa - "Town-0 Phase-5")   Japan 7 – 8   Senegal (Tété - "Eleanor Rigby")
(Kaleo - "Way Down We Go")   Iceland 8 – 7   France (Daft Punk - "Digital Love")

Group D

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Belgium 3 2 0 1 23 20 3 6
  South Korea 3 2 0 1 22 21 1 6
  Netherlands 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
  Australia 3 1 1 1 21 25 -4 1
Round 1
(Pond - "Human Touch")   Australia 6 – 8   Belgium (Geike - "Off Shore")
(Exo - "Overdose")   South Korea 6 – 8   Netherlands (The Jordan - "Best Damn Day")
Round 2
(Hatchie - "Lights On")   Australia 7 – 9   South Korea (Grand Chase - "Hope")
(Vengaboys - "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)")   Netherlands 7 – 9   Belgium (Gotye - "Somebody That I Used to Know")
Round 3
(Chet Faker - "Gold")   Australia 8 – 8   Netherlands (Cargo - "Sail Inside")
(Stromae - "Alors on Danse")   Belgium 6 – 7   South Korea (Yaya Kim - "For Dogs and Pigs")

Group E

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Scotland 3 2 0 1 23 21 2 6
  Nigeria 3 2 0 1 23 22 1 6
  United States 3 1 0 2 24 22 2 3
  Switzerland 3 1 0 2 18 23 -5 3
Round 1
(K.T. Tunstall - "Another Place to Fall")   Scotland 6 – 7   Nigeria (Nneka - "Africans")
(Laura Veirs - "Pink Light")   United States 8 – 4   Switzerland (Waldskin - "Umbra")
Round 2
(Cocteau Twins - "Heaven or Las Vegas")   Scotland 9 – 8   United States (Supreme Beings of Leisure - "Under the Gun")
(DJ Bobo - "Let the Dream Come True")   Switzerland 8 – 7   Nigeria (Seun Kuti - "Kuku Kee Me (Remix)")
Round 3
(Franz Ferdinand - "Walk Away")   Scotland 8 – 6   Switzerland (Monkey3 - "Axis")
(Sade - "No Ordinary Love")   Nigeria 9 – 8   United States (Janelle Monaé - "Cold War")

Group F

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Italy 3 2 1 0 25 23 2 7
  Wales 3 1 1 1 25 22 3 4
  Brazil 3 1 1 1 24 22 2 4
  Cuba 3 0 1 2 19 26 -7 1
Round 1
(Xênia França - "Pra Que Me Chamas?")   Brazil 8 – 8   Wales (Hybrid - "No One Knows")
(Messa - "Rubedo")   Italy 8 – 8   Cuba (Sílvio Rodríguez - "Ojalá")
Round 2
(Arthur Verocai - "Sylvia")   Brazil 8 – 9   Italy (Giancane - "Strappati Lungo i Bordi")
(Buena Vista Social Club - "Chan Chan")   Cuba 6 – 10   Wales (Bonnie Tyler - "Total Eclipse of the Heart")
Round 3
(Leila Maria - "Seca")   Brazil 8 – 5   Cuba (Voltaire - "When You're Evil")
(Bullet for My Valentine - "All These Things I Hate")   Wales 7 – 8   Italy (Ligabue - "Non Ho Che Te")

Group G

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Jamaica 3 2 0 1 24 22 2 6
  New Zealand 3 2 0 1 23 23 0 6
  England 3 1 1 1 23 22 1 4
  Mali 3 0 1 2 21 24 -3 1
Round 1
(Sneaker Pimps - "Six Underground")   England 7 – 8   Jamaica (Bob Marley - "Zimbabwe")
(Toumani Diabaté, Sidiki Diabaté & M - "Solidarité")   Mali 7 – 8   New Zealand (The Chills - "Part Past Part Fiction")
Round 2
(Estelle - "Set Me on Fire")   England 8 – 8   Mali (Songhoy Blues - "Bamako")
(The Datsuns - "What Would I Know")   New Zealand 9 – 8   Jamaica (Shaggy - "Angel")
Round 3
(Celeste - "Stop This Flame")   England 8 – 6   New Zealand (Sea Mouse - "Rutherfords")
(Koffee - "Toast")   Jamaica 8 – 6   Mali (Tamikrest - "Tisnant an Chatma")

Group H

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Denmark 3 3 0 0 24 13 11 9
  Sweden 3 2 0 1 24 18 6 6
  Zambia 3 1 0 2 18 21 -3 3
  Syria 3 0 0 3 10 24 -14 0
Round 1
(Children of the Sün - "Her Game")   Sweden 8 – 6   Zambia (Keith Mlevhu - "Love and Freedom")
(Volbeat - "Cape of Our Hero")   Denmark 8 – 1   Syria (Omar Souleyman - "Ya Bnayya")
Round 2
(Heavy Feather - "Love Will Come Easy")   Sweden 7 – 8   Denmark (Aqua - "Turn Back Time")
(Armande Altaï - "Informulé")   Syria 5 – 7   Zambia (The Peace - "Black Power")
Round 3
(The Solution - "Would You Change Your Mind")   Sweden 9 – 4   Syria (Eulen - "Morning Blood Requiem")
(Witch - "Waile")   Zambia 5 – 8   Denmark (Junior Senior - "Move Your Feet")

Final stage

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Knockout stage

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Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Colombia8
 
 
 
  Norway7
 
  Colombia7
 
 
 
  Iceland9
 
  Iceland6
 
 
 
  South Korea5
 
  Iceland8
 
 
 
  Wales7
 
  Scotland6
 
 
 
  Wales7
 
  Wales8
 
 
 
  Jamaica6
 
  Jamaica8
 
 
 
  Sweden7
 
  Iceland8
 
 
 
  Italy7
 
  Canada9
 
 
 
  Ireland8
 
  Canada8
 
 
 
  Belgium7
 
  Belgium8+
 
 
 
  Senegal8
 
  Canada6
 
 
 
  Italy7Third place
 
  Italy9
 
  
 
  Nigeria5
 
  Italy8  Wales7
 
 
 
  Denmark7  Canada8
 
  Denmark8
 
 
  New Zealand7
 

Round of 16

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  Colombia8–7  Norway
"Yo Te Esperaré" by Cali & El DanDee "Get It On" by Turbonegro

  Iceland6–5  South Korea
"Bachelorette" by Björk "Why" by Mid-Air Thief

  Scotland6–7  Wales
"Roygbiv" by Boards of Canada "Mulder & Scully" by Cataconia

  Jamaica8–7  Sweden
"Slave to the Rhythm" by Grace Jones "Believe in Us" by Jay-Jay Johansson

  Canada9–8  Ireland
"Nobody's Home" by Avril Lavigne "Nina Cried Power" by Hozier

  Belgium8+–8  Senegal
"Jackie Cane" by Hooverphonic "É'Mma" by Touré Kunda

  Italy9–5  Nigeria
"Dance Monkey" by Arianna Palazzetti "Message in a Hammer" by Obongjayar

  Denmark8–7  New Zealand
"Fascination" by Alphabeat "Replay!" by Kimbra

Quarter-finals

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  Colombia7–9  Iceland
"Hunter of Lost Souls" by Meteor "To Be Free" by Emiliana Torrini

  Wales8–6  Jamaica
"Australia" by Manic Street Preachers "Utterance" by Black Uhuru

  Canada8–7  Belgium
"Powerline" by Lee Aaron "Bring Me to Silence" by Fievel Is Glauque

  Italy8–7  Denmark
"Prisencolinensinainciusol" by Adriano Celentano "Mountain Music I" by Culpeper's Orchard

Semifinals

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  Iceland8–7  Wales
"Hoppípolla" by Sígur Rós "Night Crawling" by John Cale

  Canada6–7  Italy
"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen "Appena un Po'" by Premiata Forneria Marconi

Third place match

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  Wales7–8  Canada
"Froot" by Marina "Dreamline" by Rush

Final

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  Iceland8–7  Italy
"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men "Zitti i Buoni" by Maneskin

Results

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20th Music World Cup Champion
 
Iceland
(1st title)
Pos. Country Gr Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Final
1   Iceland C 7 7 0 0 53 45 8 21
2   Italy F 7 5 1 1 56 48 8 16
Third-place play-off
3   Canada B 7 5 0 2 57 51 6 15
4   Wales F 7 3 1 3 54 50 4 10
Quarter-finals eliminations
5   Denmark H 5 4 0 1 39 28 11 12
6   Colombia A 5 3 1 1 39 37 2 10
7   Jamaica G 5 3 0 2 38 37 1 9
8   Belgium D 5 2 1 2 38 36 2 7
Round of 16 eliminations
9   Senegal C 4 2 1 1 29 27 2 7
10   Sweden H 4 2 0 2 31 26 5 6
11   Norway B 4 2 0 2 28 26 2 6
12   Ireland A 4 2 0 2 31 30 1 6
13   Scotland E 4 2 0 2 29 28 1 6
14   South Korea D 4 2 0 2 27 27 0 6
15   New Zealand G 4 2 0 2 30 31 -1 6
16   Nigeria E 4 2 0 2 28 31 -3 6
Group stage eliminations
17   Brazil F 3 1 1 1 24 22 2 4
18   England G 3 1 1 1 23 22 1 4
19   Netherlands D 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
20   Germany A 3 1 1 1 23 24 -1 4
21   Finland B 3 1 1 1 20 21 -1 4
22   United States E 3 1 0 2 24 22 2 3
23   Japan C 3 1 0 2 22 23 -1 3
24   Zambia H 3 1 0 2 18 21 -3 3
25   Switzerland E 3 1 0 2 18 23 -5 3
26   Mali G 3 0 1 2 21 24 -3 1
27   Australia D 3 1 1 1 21 25 -4 1
28   India B 3 0 1 0 16 22 -6 1
29   Cuba F 3 0 1 2 19 26 -7 1
30   South Africa A 3 0 0 3 23 27 -4 0
31   France C 3 0 0 3 20 24 -4 0
32   Syria H 3 0 0 3 10 24 -14 0

Awards

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Categories Team Credit
Best songs 1   Wales "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
2   Scotland "Heaven of Las Vegas" by Cocteau Twins
3   Belgium "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye
4   Iceland "To Be Free" by Emiliana Torrini
5   Italy "Strapatti Lungo i Bordi" by Giancane
Best newcomer   Syria Itself
Best match   Nigeria vs.   United States "No Ordinary Love" by Sade vs. "Cold War" by Janelle Monaé
Best underdog   Wales Itself