World Cup draw 2026: Format, start time, seeding, pots & dates

Fifa’s big idea is to set up the best chance of blockbuster ties in the latter stages of the World Cup.

So for the first time it is giving special seeding status to the top four in the world rankings – Spain, Argentina, France and England.

Crucially, this status will only apply if the countries win their groups.

Let’s take a look at how it will work, using England as our example.

Each of the four countries will be drawn into a group in a different coloured quadrant of the bracket, as shown in the image below.

Spain (ranked 1) and Argentina (2) must be in opposite halves and cannot meet until the final, likewise France (3) and England (4).

France and England would not be able to meet either Spain or Argentina until the semi-finals.

Let’s say that France come out first and go into Group C, placing them into the green quadrant on the right side of the draw. That means England can only go into the blue or turquoise quadrants on the left side, groups E, F, G, H or I.

If Argentina then drop into the blue quadrant, that further restricts England only to turquoise – groups G or H.

Are the four seeds being given an easy ride? Not necessarily.

Each quadrant has a potential last-16 tie between two group winners. For instance, the blue quadrant has a meeting of the winners of Group E and Group I. That means a seeded team could meet another pot one side, let’s say perhaps Brazil.

Being drawn into groups C, F, H or J looks potentially more favourable, as it is not possible to play another group winner until the quarter-finals.

If one of the four seeded teams finishes as group runners-up, then they lose the ranking privilege.

So if England were to finish second in Group H, they would move out of turquoise and into red – perhaps meeting Spain, Argentina or France as the winners of Group J in the first knockout round.