group stage
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group stage
The first section of a sports tournament or competition in which the participants are divided into groups and compete against each other in order to qualify for the next round.
Deutschland hat die Gruppenphase der Weltmeisterschaft erfolgreich überstanden.
Germany successfully got through the group stage of the World Cup.
The word is made up of 'Gruppe' (group), the linking element '-n-', and 'Phase' (phase/stage). So it literally describes a 'Phase' in which play takes place in 'Gruppen' (groups).
In der Gruppenphase spielt jede Mannschaft gegen jede andere.
In the group stage, each team plays against every other team.
The term 'Gruppenphase' (group stage) is used almost exclusively in the context of sports competitions such as World Cups or the Champions League.
Die Mannschaft hofft, die Gruppenphase zu erreichen.
The team hopes to reach the group stage.
Common verbs used with 'Gruppenphase' (group stage) are 'die Gruppenphase überstehen' (to get through the group stage), 'in der Gruppenphase ausscheiden' (to be eliminated in the group stage), or 'sich für die Gruppenphase qualifizieren' (to qualify for the group stage).
Leider ist unser Team schon in der Gruppenphase ausgeschieden.
Unfortunately, our team was eliminated already in the group stage.
preliminary round
'die Vorrunde' and 'die Gruppenphase' can both refer to the early part of a tournament. 'Vorrunde' is the more general expression: it is the first stage, in which it is decided who moves on. 'Gruppenphase' is more specific: the participants are divided into groups and play against each other within those groups. The words are easy to confuse because a group stage is often a preliminary round. But not every preliminary round has to be a group stage. When groups are important, 'Gruppenphase' is more precise.
In der Gruppenphase spielt jede Mannschaft gegen drei Gegner aus derselben Gruppe.
In the group stage, each team plays against three opponents from the same group.
Schon in der Vorrunde schied der Favorit überraschend aus.
The favorite was unexpectedly eliminated as early as the preliminary round.