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On Tuesday, FIFA announced that the top four seeded teams in the 2026 World Cup will be placed in two different halves of the expanded 48-team bracket, which means they might not meet until the semi-finals.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seen with the FIFA World Cup trophy. Photo by AFP

The top-seeded Spain and reigning World Cup champions Argentina, the second seeds, will be placed in different halves of the bracket, with the same applying to third-ranked France and fourth-ranked England.

This will guarantee that, if both teams advance from their groups, the top two ranked sides will be separated until the final match.

On Tuesday, FIFA released the four groups into which the 48 teams that have qualified will be distributed, along with the rules for the World Cup draw, scheduled to occur on December 5 (1700 GMT) in Washington DC.

The leading four countries are all located in Pot 1, alongside the three host nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The selection process will start with the 12 teams in Pot 1, which features Germany, having just managed to keep their top-tier position.

The procedure will then proceed with Pots 2, 3, and 4, in that sequence, FIFA stated.

Six additional World Cup positions are yet to be determined among the 18 teams competing in the playoffs in March.

Italy, the four-time World Cup champions and ranked 12th in the FIFA standings, are participating in the qualifiers and might end up in Pot 4 if they advance.

Newcomers Uzbekistan are placed in Pot 3, along with other first-time participants Jordan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao in Pot 4.

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

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

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

Group 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, winners of the European playoffs A, B, C, and D, and winners of the Inter-confederation playoffs 1 and 2