This was the first cup to have a stabilished number of artists per continent, as well as being the first and only "Discovery cup", where all the songs playing were unknown by me.

Fifth Music World Cup
Tournament details
DatesJanuary 30th - January 31st, 2023
Teams24
Final positions
Champions  Republic of Ireland (1st title)
Runners-up  Zambia
Third place  Mali
Fourth place  South Korea
Tournament statistics
Matches played52
Goals scored737 (14.17 per match)
Top scorer(s)  Zambia (56 points)

Participating teams

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Continent Team Classification Date Participation Best Performance
Current Consec. Last
Africa   Mali January 30th, 2023 2 2 #4 Group stage (#4)
  Zambia January 29th, 2023 1 1 Newcomer
Asia   Japan January 29th, 2023 5 5 #4 Runner up (#2)
  South Korea January 30th, 2023 5 5 #4 Round of 16 (#2, #3, #4)
Europe   Denmark January 29th, 2023 2 1 #2 TBA
  England January 27th, 2023 5 5 #4 Champion (#4)
  France January 29th, 2023 5 5 #4 Third place (#2)
  Germany January 30th, 2023 5 5 #4 Champion (#1)
  Greece January 29th, 2023 1 1 Newcomer
  Iceland January 30th, 2023 3 1 #3 Quarter-finals (#3)
  Ireland January 30th, 2023 5 5 #4 Runner up (#4)
  Italy January 30th, 2023 3 1 #3 Quarter-finals (#3)
  Scotland January 30th, 2023 5 5 #4 Third place (#4)
  Sweden January 29th, 2023 5 5 #4 Champion (#3)
  Ukraine January 29th, 2023 1 1 Newcomer
  Wales January 30th, 2023 2 1 #2 Group stage (#2)
North America   Canada January 27th, 2023 5 5 #4 Quarter-finals (#2, #3, #4)
  Jamaica January 30th, 2023 4 4 #4 Fourth place (#4)
  Puerto Rico January 28th, 2023 3 3 #4 Round of 16 (#3, #4)
  United States January 27th, 2023 5 5 #4 Runner up (#1)
Oceania   Australia January 27th, 2023 5 5 #4 Fourth place (#2)
South America   Brazil January 27th, 2023 5 5 #4 Champion (#2)
  Peru January 29th, 2023 1 1 Newcomer
  Colombia January 30th, 2023 4 4 #4 Quarter-finals (#4)

Draw

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Seeding and drawing

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Pot 1

Top 6 teams

Pot 2

Top 12 teams

Pot 3

Top 16 teams

Pot 4

Top 24 teams

Results of the draw

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Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F
  Canada   United States   Japan   Australia   England   Sweden
  Scotland   France   Ireland   South Korea   Brazil   Germany
  Denmark   Colombia   Iceland   Wales   Jamaica   Puerto Rico
  Zambia   Italy   Mali   Greece   Ukraine   Peru

Group Stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Zambia 3 2 1 0 25 23 2 7
  Canada 3 2 0 1 25 17 8 6
  Scotland 3 1 0 2 19 23 -4 3
  Denmark 3 0 1 2 17 23 -6 1
Round 1
(Rush - "Red Barchetta")   Canada 9 - 5   Scotland (Cocteau Twins - "Lorelei")
(Mew - "Special")   Denmark 8 - 8   Zambia (Witch - "Lazy Bones")
Round 2
(Klaatu - "All Good Things")   Canada 8 - 3   Denmark (Lukas Graham - "Love Someone")
(Blackfoot - "When It's All Right")   Zambia 8 - 7   Scotland (Belle & Sebastian - "Dress Up in You")
Round 3
(Glass Kites - "Soothsayer")   Canada 8 - 9   Zambia (Sampa the Great - "Final Form")
(The Proclaimers -"I'm on My Way")   Scotland 7 - 6   Denmark (Trentemøller - "Miss You")

Group B

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  France 3 3 0 0 21 15 6 9
  United States 3 1 0 2 18 19 -1 3
  Italy 3 1 0 2 18 20 -2 3
  Colombia 3 1 0 2 17 20 -3 3
Round 1
(Megadeth - "Angry Again")   United States 6 - 7   France (Feu! Chatterton - "Monde Nouveau")
(Aterciopelados - "Bolero Falaz")   Colombia 6 - 8   Italy (Messa - "Snakeskin Drape")
Round 2
(Pearl Jam - "Just Breathe")   United States 5 - 6   Colombia (Ela Minus - "Dominique")
(Giancane - "Ipocondria")   Italy 4 - 7   France (Magma - "The Night We Died")
Round 3
(Terrace Martin - "Beige")   United States 7 - 6   Italy (Georgio Moroder - "Chase")
(Phoenix - "If I Ever Feel Better")   France 7 - 5   Colombia (Meridian Brothers - "Salsa Caliente")

Group C

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Ireland 3 2 1 0 24 22 2 7
  Mali 3 1 1 1 23 22 1 4
  Japan 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
  Iceland 3 0 1 1 23 26 -3 1
Round 1
(Haru Nemuri - "Underground")   Japan 7 - 8   Ireland (The Cranberries - "Just My Imagination")
(Björk - "Crystalline")   Iceland 7 - 9   Mali (Amadou & Mariam - "Senegal Fast Food")
Round 2
(Shibuzashirazu - "Dorago")   Japan 9 - 9   Iceland (Emiliana Torrini - "To Be Free")
(Omxo Puccino - "Toucher L'horizon")   Mali 8 - 8   Ireland (Thin Lizzy - "Dancing in the Moonlight")
Round 3
(Boris - "Ibitsu")   Japan 7 - 6   Mali (Songhoy Blues - "Sekou Oumarou")
(Fontaines D.C. - "Boys in the Better Land")   Ireland 8 - 7   Iceland (Sólstafir - "Silfur-Refur")

Group D

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Wales 3 2 1 0 23 21 2 7
  Australia 3 2 0 1 23 20 3 6
  South Korea 3 1 1 1 21 22 -1 4
  Greece 3 0 0 3 20 24 -4 0
Round 1
(Hatchie - "Nosedive")   Australia 8 - 6   South Korea (Bird's Eye Batang - "Ripplippling")
(John Cale - "Barracuda")   Wales 8 - 7   Greece (Mononome - "Besima")
Round 2
(Midnight Oil - "Hercules")   Australia 7 - 8   Wales (Kelly Lee Owens - "Jeanette")
(Aphrodite's Child - "The Four Horsemen")   Greece 7 - 8   South Korea (Parannoul - "Polaris")
Round 3
(INXS - "Mystify")   Australia 8 - 6   Greece (BD Foxmoor - "Den Eimai Kanenos")
(F(x) - "4 Walls")   South Korea 7 - 7   Wales (Cate Le Bon - "Are You With Me Now?")

Group E

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Brazil 3 2 1 0 22 18 4 7
  Ukraine 3 2 1 0 23 21 2 7
  England 3 1 0 2 18 20 -2 3
  Jamaica 3 0 0 3 19 23 -4 0
Round 1
(King Crimson - "Book of Saturday")   England 4 - 7   Brazil (Liniker - "Zero")
(Bob Marley - "Could You Be Loved")   Jamaica 7 - 8   Ukraine (Somali Yacht Club - "Silver")
Round 2
(The Moody Blues - "Your Wildest Dreams")   England 7 - 5   Jamaica (Popcaan - "Twist & Turn")
(Stoned Jesus - "Thessalia")   Ukraine 7 - 7   Brazil (Pitty - "Memórias")
Round 3
(Jessie Ware - "Adore You")   England 7 - 8   Ukraine (DakhaBrakha - "Sho Z-Pod Duba")
(Tássia Reis - "Se Avexe Não")   Brazil 8 - 7   Jamaica (Koffee - "Toast")

Group F

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Sweden 3 1 2 0 24 22 2 5
  Germany 3 1 1 1 20 19 1 4
  Peru 3 1 1 1 19 19 0 4
  Puerto Rico 3 1 0 2 16 19 -3 3
Round 1
(Ecco2k - "Peroxide")   Sweden 7 - 7   Germany (Lucifer - "Bring Me His Head")
(Iann Dior - "Emotions")   Puerto Rico 5 - 3   Peru (Los Ovnis - "Dos Caminos")
Round 2
(Anna Von Hausswolff - "The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra")   Sweden 9 - 7   Puerto Rico (Buscabulla - "Tartaro")
(Los Wembler's de Iquitos - "La Danza del Petrolero")   Peru 8 - 6   Germany (Tangerine Dream - "Love on a Real Train")
Round 3
(Children of the Sün - "Leaves")   Sweden 8 - 8   Peru (Los Yorks - "Abrázame Baby")
(Kadavar - "Into the Wormhole")   Germany 7 - 4   Puerto Rico (Ozuna - "Hey Mor")

Third placing teams ranking

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Group Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
C   Japan 3 1 1 1 23 23 0 4
F   Peru 3 1 1 1 19 19 0 4
D   South Korea 3 1 1 1 21 22 -1 4
B   Italy 3 1 0 2 18 20 -2 3
E   England 3 1 0 2 18 20 -2 3
A   Scotland 3 1 0 2 19 23 -4 3
Third-placed teams

qualify from groups

1A

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1B

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1C

vs

1D

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A B C D 3C 3D 3A 3B
A B C E 3C 3A 3B 3E
A B C F 3C 3A 3B 3F
A B D E 3D 3A 3B 3E
A B D F 3D 3A 3B 3F
A B E F 3E 3A 3B 3F
A C D E 3C 3D 3A 3E
A C D F 3C 3D 3A 3F
A C E F 3C 3A 3F 3E
A D E F 3D 3A 3F 3E
B C D E 3C 3D 3B 3E
B C D F 3C 3D 3B 3F
B C E F 3E 3C 3B 3F
B D E F 3E 3D 3B 3F
C D E F 3C 3D 3F 3E
Tiebreaker
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To break the tie between England and Italy, both teams played an extra match, with the following Result:

  England4–8  Italy
"Book of Saturday" by King Crimson . "Snakeskin Drape" by Messa
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Final stage

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Knockout stage

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Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Zambia8 (8)
 
 
 
  Japan8 (7)
 
  Zambia8
 
 
 
  Germany6
 
  Germany8
 
 
 
  United States7
 
  Zambia8
 
 
 
  South Korea7
 
  Sweden9
 
 
 
  Ukraine8
 
  Sweden7
 
 
 
  South Korea8
 
  France7
 
 
 
  South Korea8
 
  Zambia7
 
 
 
  Ireland8
 
  Brazil8
 
 
 
  Australia7
 
  Brazil6
 
 
 
  Ireland7
 
  Ireland7 (8)
 
 
 
  Italy7 (6)
 
  Ireland8
 
 
 
  Mali7Third place
 
  Wales7 (7)
 
  
 
  Peru7 (8)
 
  Peru7 (7)  South Korea6
 
 
 
  Mali7 (8)  Mali7
 
  Mali8 (9)
 
 
  Canada8 (8)
 

Round of 16

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  Zambia(8) 8–8 (7)  Japan
"Suicide" by Paul Ngozi
TB: "Lazy Bones" by Witch
. "Cherry" by Rina Sawayama
TB: "Underground" by Haru Nemuri
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  Germany8–7  United States
"The Rat Catcher" by Wucan . "Y'all Want a Single" by Korn
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  Sweden9–8  Ukraine
"New Noise" by Refused . "Ne Tuda" by Provod
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  France7–8  South Korea
"All I Need" by Air . "Night Hero" by Yaya Kim
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  Brazil8–7  Australia
"Eu Sou Como Você É" by Lô Borges . "Dancing" by Kylie Minogue
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  Ireland(8) 7–7 (6)  Italy
"Goldfish" by Roy Harper
TB: "Just My Imagination" by The Cranberries
. "Il Mio Canto Libero" by Lucio Battisti
TB: "Chase" by Georgio Moroder
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  Wales(7) 7–7 (8)  Peru
"Choke" by Hybrid
TB: "Are You With Me Now?" by Cate Le Bon
. "Peligrosa" by Los Ecos
TB: "La Danza del Petrolero" by Los Wembler's de Iquitos
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  Mali(9) 8–8 (8)  Canada
"Yamore" by Salif Keita
TB: "Senegal Fast Food" by Amadou & Mariam
. "Misery Loves My Company" by Three Days Grace
TB: "All Good Things" by Klaatu
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Quarter-finals

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  Zambia8–6  Germany
"Sheebeen Queen" by Musi-O-Tunya . "Ah!" by Popol Vuh
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  Sweden7–8  South Korea
"Upside Backwards" by Viagra Boys . "Beep Boop, Beep Boop" by Meaningful Stone
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  Brazil6–7  Ireland
"Sutilmente" by Skank . "Caribbean Blue" by Enya
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  Peru(7) 7–7 (8)  Mali
"Perdido en el Espacio" by Juaneco y Su Combo
TB: "Peligrosa" by Los Ecos
. "Laidu" by Rokia Traoré
TB: "Toucher L'Horizon" by Omxo Puccino
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Semifinals

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  Zambia8–7  South Korea
"Rosemary's Revenge" by Backxwash . "Time of Extinction" by Jambinai
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  Ireland8–7  Mali
"Ageispolis" by Aphex Twin . "Bonde" by Ali Farka Touré
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Third place match

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  South Korea6–7  Mali
"Haenim" by Kim Jung Mi . "Aldhechen Manin" by Tinariwen
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Final

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  Zambia7–8  Ireland
"Hi Babe" by Ngozi Family . "The Whole of the Moon" by Waterboys
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Results

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5th Music World Cup Champion
 
Ireland
(1st title)
Pos. Country Gr Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Final
1   Ireland C 7 5 2 0 54 49 5 17
2   Zambia A 7 5 1 1 56 52 4 16
Third-place play-off
3   Mali C 7 2 3 2 52 51 1 9
4   South Korea D 7 3 1 3 50 51 -1 10
Quarter-finals eliminations
5   Brazil E 5 3 1 1 36 32 4 7
6   Sweden F 5 2 2 1 40 38 2 8
7   Germany F 5 2 1 2 34 34 0 7
8   Peru F 5 1 3 1 33 33 0 6
Round of 16 eliminations
9   France B 4 3 0 1 28 23 5 9
10   Wales D 4 2 2 0 30 28 2 8
11   Canada A 4 2 1 1 33 25 8 7
12   Ukraine E 4 2 1 1 31 30 1 7
13   Australia D 4 2 0 2 30 28 2 6
14   Japan C 4 1 2 1 31 31 0 5
15   Italy B 4 1 1 2 25 27 -2 4
16   United States B 4 1 0 3 25 27 -2 3
Group stage eliminations
17   England E 3 1 0 2 18 20 -2 3
18   Colombia B 3 1 0 2 17 20 -3 3
19   Puerto Rico F 3 1 0 2 16 19 -3 3
20   Scotland A 3 1 0 2 19 23 -4 3
21   Iceland C 3 0 1 1 23 26 -3 1
22   Denmark A 3 0 1 2 17 23 -6 1
23   Greece D 3 0 0 3 20 24 -4 0
24   Jamaica E 3 0 0 3 19 23 -4 0

Awards

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Categories Team Credit
Best songs 1   Iceland "To Be Free" by Emiliana Torrini
2   Sweden "New Noise" by Refused
3   Japan "Dorago" by Shibusashirazu
4   Zambia "Final Form" by Sampa the Great
5   Sweden "The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra" by Anna Von Hausswolff
Best newcomer   Zambia Itself
Best match   Japan and   Iceland "Dorago" by Shibusashirazu vs. "To Be Free" by Emiliana Torrini
Best underdog   Zambia Itself