FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoffs Seedings Revealed As Top-Placed Teams Confirmed For December 5 Draw

FIFA confirmed the top-seeded teams for the World Cup 2026 tournament draw, scheduled for December 5, on Wednesday. This announcement came after FIFA published its updated world rankings, just one day after qualifying rounds concluded across four continents.

Germany made the top tier, while Croatia missed out, as the updated FIFA rankings set the seedings across the expanded global line-up.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw: Top Seeds

The list of No. 1 seeds includes co-hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico, along with top-ranked Spain, defending champions Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

Croatia, which reached the semi-finals in 2022 and was the beaten finalist by France in 2018, was relegated to pot 2 for the draw ceremony. The draw will take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend.

The updated FIFA rankings also determined seeding for the playoff brackets to be drawn on Thursday, with these playoffs in March deciding the final six entries in the expanded 48-nation tournament line-up.

European, Intercontinental Playoff Structure Explained

The playoff structure for the remaining World Cup spots involves 22 teams. 16 European teams will compete for four World Cup places, while six teams from other regions will for two spots in the intercontinental brackets.

Italy stand out as the headliner in the European playoff brackets, as the four-time world champion aim to avoid a third consecutive playoff exit. A victory by Norway in the qualifying group pushed the 12th-ranked Italians, who had finished as runners-up, into the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland's Norwegian team will be a dangerous contender from pot 3 when the draw takes place in two weeks.

On Thursday, Italy will be drawn at home against a fourth-seeded team. There is a possibility that the Azzurri could face North Macedonia again – the team that shockingly eliminated them in 2022.

The winner of the March 26 match will advance to a playoff final five days later, facing the winner of the No. 2 seed versus No. 3 seed pairing in its knockout bracket. Thursday's draw will determine home advantage for these single-game playoff finals rather than FIFA ranking.

The teams emerging from each of the four European playoff brackets are expected to serve as placeholders from low-ranked pot 4 in the draw.

Meanwhile, in the intercontinental brackets, top-seeded Iraq and Congo will await the winners of playoff semi-finals involving Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname.

European Playoffs Seedings

• Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine.

• Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia.

• Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo.

• Pot 4: Northern Ireland, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia.

Intercontinental Playoffs

• Seeded: Congo, Iraq.

• Unseeded: Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname.

(With AP Inputs)