\n
ZURICH (AP) – The top seeded teams for the Dec. 5 World Cup tournament draw were determined Wednesday. Germany is included, but Croatia is not. FIFA releases new rankings<\/span> The day after finishing the Four Continents preliminaries.<\/p>\nIn addition to co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico, the first-seeded pot will include top-ranked Spain, defending champion Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.<\/p>\n
Croatia reached the semi-finals in 2022 and the final in 2018, losing to France, but were pushed to pot 2 in the second leg. Lottery ceremony at Kennedy Center<\/span> In Washington DC. President Donald Trump is also expected to attend.<\/p>\nThe latest FIFA rankings also determined the seeds for Thursday’s draw for March’s playoff spots, which will determine the final six teams in the expanded 48-nation lineup.<\/p>\n
The 22 teams participating in the playoffs include 16 teams from Europe vying for four World Cup spots and six teams from other regions chasing two intercontinental spots.<\/p>\n
Four-time world champions Italy are looking to avoid a humiliating third consecutive play-off defeat and remain top of the European spots. <\/p>\n
Italy, ranked 12th in the rankings, took second place in the qualifying group won by Norway and advanced to the play-offs. Erling Haaland’s Norwegian team will form as a dangerous option from Pot 3 in two weeks’ time.<\/p>\n
Italy will play the fourth-seeded team at home on Thursday. It could once again be North Macedonia, which shockingly eliminated the Italians in 2022.<\/p>\n
The winner on March 26 will advance to the playoff final against the team that advances from the knockout bracket’s No. 2-seed vs. No. 3-seed pairing five days later. Home advantage in the single-game playoff final will be determined by a draw on Thursday rather than by FIFA rankings. <\/p>\n
The teams that ultimately make it out of the four European play-off spots are expected to be placeholders from the bottom four pots in the December 5th draw.<\/p>\n
In the intercontinental bracket, top seeds Iraq and Congo will each await the winner of a play-off semi-final featuring Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname. <\/p>\n
__<\/p>\n
European playoff seeding<\/p>\n
Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, T\u00fcrkiye, Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia.<\/p>\n
Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo.<\/p>\n
Pot 4: Northern Ireland, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
intercontinental playoffs<\/p>\n
Seed: Congo, Iraq.<\/p>\n
Unseeded: Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP Soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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