Speedway World Cup - Rules

Rules

Each of the four meetings is competed between four national teams, and each national team will be represented by five riders; there shall be no substitute rider:

Team A (helmet colour red).

Team B (blue).

Team C (white).

Team D (yellow/black).

The meetings last for 25 heats and one rider for each competing team will race in each heat. Each rider is scheduled to race in five heats and face each of the opposing nations' riders once during the meeting. Teams score 3 points if their rider wins a heat, 2 points if their rider finishes second, 1 for a third place finish, and none if their rider finishes last or is excluded from a heat.

If a team fall six points behind the leader then they are allowed to make tactical substitutions, replacing a rider who is possibly out of form for one who is playing better in the hope of closing the gap on the leader. Each team is also allowed to play one "joker" if they fall six points behind the leader. With the joker, a team will score double the points their finishing position is usually worth, so if their rider finishes first, they will pick up six points instead of the normal three. This is a controversial rule but was implemented with the intention of keeping interest in meetings that may have been a foregone conclusion.