For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA have weighted the draw to ensure that the four highest ranked nations will not be able to meet until the semifinals, should they win their respective groups.
Spain (first), Argentina (second), France (third) and England (fourth) make up the leading quartet of qualified nations and will be subjected to FIFA’s new regulations to modify December’s draw.
In the same vein as major tennis tournaments, Spain and Argentina—as the two top seeds—are guaranteed to be drawn on opposite sides of the bracket, establishing that the reigning champions of Europe and South America will not face each other until the final, on the assumption that they both win their groups.
The same applies to France and England. Didier Deschamps’s back-to-back finalists are projected to battle Spain in the semifinal while the Three Lions would theoretically go up against Lionel Messi’s Argentina should the knockout stages adhere to FIFA’s world rankings.
These unprecedented tweaks have consequences stretching beyond the leading quartet of countries.
