FIFA to keep top seeds apart in expanded 2026 World Cup draw

FIFA revealed on Tuesday that the top four seeded nations at the 2026 World Cup will occupy two separate halves of the draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, meaning they could avoid facing each other until the semi-final stage.

Top-ranked Spain and World Cup holders Argentina, the second seeds, will be drawn into opposite halves of the draw, and the same will apply to third-ranked France and world number four England.

This will ensure that, should they both win their groups, the two highest ranked teams will be kept apart until the final.

On Tuesday, FIFA published the four pots into which the 48 qualified teams will be placed, as well as the procedures for the World Cup draw which will take place on December 5 (1700 GMT) in Washington DC.

The top four nations are all placed in Pot 1 along with the three host nations -- Canada, Mexico and the United States. 

The draw will begin with the 12 teams in Pot 1, which includes Germany, who narrowly retained their seeded status. 

The process will then continue with Pots 2, 3, and 4, in that order, FIFA explained. 

Six more World Cup spots remain to be filled among the 18 nations still in contention through the play-offs in March.

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Italy, four-time World Cup winners and 12th in the FIFA rankings, are in the play-offs and could find themselves, if they qualify, in Pot 4.

Debutants Uzbekistan are in Pot 3, with fellow first-timers Jordan, Cape Verde and Curacao in Pot 4.

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, United States, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European playoff winners A, B, C and D, Inter-confederation playoff winners 1 and 2

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