Could the Rep. of Ireland cause an upset in the World Cup qualifiers? (2:12)Mark Ogden backs the Republic of Ireland to make it through the playoffs and end their 24-year World Cup drought. (2:12)
The top-seeded teams for the Dec. 5 World Cup tournament draw, including Germany but not Croatia, were set Wednesday when FIFA published new rankings the day after four continents completed qualifying.
Co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico will be joined in the pot of No. 1 seeds by top-ranked Spain, defending champions Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
Croatia, semifinalists in 2022 and beaten finalists by France in 2018, were edged down into Pot 2 for the draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend.
The updated FIFA rankings also decided seeding for the draw Thursday for playoff brackets in March that will decide the final six entries in the expanded 48-nation lineup.
The 22 playoff teams include 16 in Europe playing for four World Cup places and six from the other regions chasing two spots in the intercontinental brackets.
Italy are the headliner in the European brackets as the four-time world champions aim to avoid a humiliating third straight exit in the playoffs.
The 12th-ranked Italians were pushed into the playoffs after finishing as runners-up in a qualifying group won by Norway. Erling Haaland’s Norwegian team shapes up as a dangerous option from Pot 3 in two weeks’ time.
The teams that eventually emerge from the four separate European playoff brackets are expected to be placeholders from low-ranked Pot 4 in the Dec. 5 draw.
The intercontinental brackets will see top-seeded Iraq and Congo each await the winner of playoff semifinals that involve Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.
Could the Rep. of Ireland cause an upset in the World Cup qualifiers? (2:12)Mark Ogden backs the Republic of Ireland to make it through the playoffs and end their 24-year World Cup drought. (2:12)
Mark Ogden backs the Republic of Ireland to make it through the playoffs and end their 24-year World Cup drought. (2:12)
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Pot 3: Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo.
Pot 4: Northern Ireland, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia.
Unseeded: Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname.