Typically, a Scandinavian draw happens when two teams need to score just a single point to ensure their future place in a tournament. A Scandinavian draw isn't necessarily a fixed match, as both teams can maintain a score that suits them without agreeing on it beforehand.
Arsenal faces off against Brighton in the final around of the EPL. Arsenal needs just one point to stay in fourth place and advance to the Champions League, and Brighton needs just one point to ensure they stay in the Championship.
In this event, both teams are okay with a draw.
Where did this term come from?
The term "Scandinavian draw" was first used after the final match of the Euro 2004 group stage between Denmark and Sweden. Before this match, Denmark and Sweden had 4 points each, Italy had 2, and Bulgaria – 0.
Both Denmark and Sweden needed a draw of at least 2:2. With this score, both teams guaranteed themselves a place in the playoffs, as Italy had already secured its place based on other factors.
As a result, Denmark and Sweden played until the score of 2:2, with the Danes scoring the final point only in the 89th minute. Italy beat Bulgaria 2:1, scoring the winning goal in the 94th minute, and was eliminated from the tournament. The head of the Italian Football Federation Franco Carraro asserted that Denmark and Sweden fixed the match to play until 2:2, but the UEFA refused to investigate.
How often do Scandinavian draws happen?
Rarely. A lot of conditions have to converge for a Scandinavian draw: it must be the last round of the group stage, the two teams cannot have a history of tough confrontations, and the head-to-head meeting has to benefit both teams from a draw. Teams are also stopped by potential scandals, since such matches draw attention even before they start.
In the final round of the qualifying stage of Euro 2008, England and Croatia played each other, while Russia and Andorra played a match simultaneously. Croatia had already guaranteed itself a place in the final stage of the tournament, while England and Russia had not. England would advance in the case of a win or draw with Croats, but the Russians would only do so, if they defeated Andorra and England lost in its parallel match.
Croatia had no tournament motivation, but the team entered the match with its main lineup and won with a score of 3:2. Russia beat Andorra, and based on the final round results took second place and made it to Euro 2008.