The All Whites' future at the World Cup could be decided by a Fifa bureaucrat picking a name out of a hat.
The "drawing of lots", as Fifa calls it, is dependent on the next round of games, after the All Whites' 1-1 shock draw with defending champion Italy.
New Zealand and Italy are second-equal in group F with two points each, while Paraguay leads the group on four points and is almost certain to go through to the next round.
According to Fifa's World Cup rule book (page 48), if two teams are equal on points at the end of the group stage, and have scored the same number of goals, it comes down to goal difference between the two teams.
At present, that does not separate New Zealand and Italy, after their draw yesterday.
Fifa would then look at which team had scored the most goals at the group stage.
At this stage, Italy and New Zealand have each scored two in two games.
Fifa's last ditch-effort to separate the teams is "drawing of lots by the Fifa Organising Committee".
But the result could still be decided by football.
The All Whites' next match is against Paraguay on Friday morning, (NZ time).
A win, would put them top of the table, with five points.
A draw would see them move to three points, and second on the table.
A loss and they remain on two points and cannot qualify.
If Italy beats Slovakia, it will go to five points and knock New Zealand out, if New Zealand draws or loses.
If Italy draws, it will be out if New Zealand wins or go through if New Zealand loses.
If both sides draw, they could be booking an anxious date with a Fifa hat.
Slovakia can still go through if it beats Italy and New Zealand draws or loses to Paraguay.
Once the All Whites fans have digested this mish-mash of "what-ifs", who will they be facing at the next stage?The winner of the All Whites' group will face either Japan or Denmark, dependent on results in that group.
The team that comes through second in the group, or has its name pulled out of the hat, will likely face the Netherlands, which is all but assured of topping Group E.
