FIFA's tournament explainer lists the group tiebreakers with points from matches between the tied teams first, followed by goal difference in those head-to-head matches and goals scored in those head-to-head matches. Only after those tests does the ranking move to overall group goal difference, overall goals scored, team conduct score and FIFA ranking. MLSsoccer, summarising the same tournament rules, published the same sequence.
The change matters because the first tiebreaker is no longer a general reward for scoring more across the group. It asks a narrower question first: what happened when the tied teams played each other? That can make some teams mathematically unable to overtake a rival even with one match still to play, while also reducing the incentive for others to chase a larger goal-difference cushion once head-to-head order is settled.
BBC Sport reported on 20 June that Haiti and Turkey had already been eliminated because the rule meant they could not catch third-placed teams that had beaten them, even though they were only three points behind. The same report said the rule affects how teams approach final group matches, including whether already-qualified sides have less reason to chase goal difference.
Turkey's exit gave the rule an immediate public example. ESPN reported that Paraguay's 1-0 win over Turkey secured the United States top spot in Group D and ended Turkey's campaign. The Guardian's live coverage of the match also reported that Paraguay's win eliminated Turkey because of unfavourable head-to-head outcomes, regardless of Turkey's final result against the United States.