FIFA has unveiled the final seeding pots for the 2026 World Cup, setting the stage for potentially thrilling matchups across North America.

The governing body also clarified the tournament bracket, confirming that the top four teams in the FIFA rankings will receive added protection if they finish first in their respective groups.

This means Spain (ranked first) and Argentina (second) cannot meet until the final, with the same protection extended to France (third) and England (fourth). FIFA has structured the tournament in a “tennis-style” bracket, designed to keep top seeds apart until the semi-final stage, similar to seeding in major tennis events.

However, this advantage disappears if any of these teams fail to win their group. Should a top-ranked side advance to the knockout stage without topping their group, they could face other football giants much earlier than planned.

FIFA’s confirmed 2026 World Cup seeding pots are as follows:

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A-D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 & 2

All eyes now turn to December 5, when the full tournament draw will be revealed and fans will discover the matchups their teams face on the road to the 2026 World Cup final.