Average FIFA ranking of opponents faced in the World Cup knockout stages:
— Out of Context Football Manager (@nocontextfm1) July 12, 2026
🇪🇸 Spain - 12.7 (🇦🇹 24, 🇵🇹 5, 🇧🇪 9)
🇫🇷 France - 28.7 (🇸🇪 38, 🇵🇾41, 🇲🇦 7)
🏴 England - 30.3 (🇨🇩 46, 🇲🇽 14, 🇳🇴 31)
🇦🇷 Argentina - 38.3 (🇨🇻 67, 🇪🇬 29, 🇨🇭 19)
annie88 said:
How were the group stages decided?
How did they determine which teams would play each other along their paths? I mean, obviously I understand when you win you advance, but I mean the original groupings.
bagger05 said:annie88 said:
How were the group stages decided?
How did they determine which teams would play each other along their paths? I mean, obviously I understand when you win you advance, but I mean the original groupings.
It's a draw.
You take the host nations and the top nine ranked qualifying teams (for a total of 12). Put all of those names in a hat. We will call this Pot 1.
Take the next 12 highest ranked teams. Put those names in a second hat. That's Pot 2.
Do the same for the next 12 highest ranked teams and the next, so you end up with four hats that each have 12 teams in it. These are Pot 3 and Pot 4,
Draw the first name out of Pot 1 (the highest ranked teams and the hosts). That team is in Group A. Continue this until all of these are assigned a group.
Now draw a name from Pot 2. That team is in Group A. Continue.
Repeat this process for Pot 3 and Pot 4.
A couple notes.
No group can have two teams from the same confederation. So the USA and Mexico can't end up in the same group. The exception of this is UEFA because they have so many qualified teams. So you can have two UEFA teams in a group but not three. So if you draw someone who "isn't allowed" in that group because of this rule, I think you put them in the first open slot for which there isn't a conflict.
I think that the host nations might not be drawn... they might be assigned to a group. This is a minor detail. I'm pretty sure when it's only one country hosting they are always in Group A.
HAHAHAHAHA OS CARAS ESTÃO INDO LONGE DEMAIS NOS MEMES pic.twitter.com/nZD64wL0lF
— sasha na copa (@lobotosasha) July 12, 2026
AustinScubaAg said:bagger05 said:annie88 said:
How were the group stages decided?
How did they determine which teams would play each other along their paths? I mean, obviously I understand when you win you advance, but I mean the original groupings.
It's a draw.
You take the host nations and the top nine ranked qualifying teams (for a total of 12). Put all of those names in a hat. We will call this Pot 1.
Take the next 12 highest ranked teams. Put those names in a second hat. That's Pot 2.
Do the same for the next 12 highest ranked teams and the next, so you end up with four hats that each have 12 teams in it. These are Pot 3 and Pot 4,
Draw the first name out of Pot 1 (the highest ranked teams and the hosts). That team is in Group A. Continue this until all of these are assigned a group.
Now draw a name from Pot 2. That team is in Group A. Continue.
Repeat this process for Pot 3 and Pot 4.
A couple notes.
No group can have two teams from the same confederation. So the USA and Mexico can't end up in the same group. The exception of this is UEFA because they have so many qualified teams. So you can have two UEFA teams in a group but not three. So if you draw someone who "isn't allowed" in that group because of this rule, I think you put them in the first open slot for which there isn't a conflict.
I think that the host nations might not be drawn... they might be assigned to a group. This is a minor detail. I'm pretty sure when it's only one country hosting they are always in Group A.
One caveat. Pot 4 was the place holder for the 6 teams that were still TBD at the time of the draw due to the playoffs that had not happened. This led to a group like the US where a team like turkey who by ranking would be pot 2 but instead they were pot 4.
zgolfz85 said:
I wish we'd get a post World Cup debrief from the USSF. It'd be nice to know what lessons they've learned in this cycle and in hosting the tournament, etc. It'd be great to know what we can expect in terms of change for the federation, for their vision with the US youth system, etc.
Yeah right, but I think it would really help to keep this momentum going of new US fandom in the game, etc.
Out in Left Field said:
Top 4 ranked teams are the final four??
This whole tournament could have been an email!
😤 𝑳𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒖 !
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 14, 2026
Voici les 11 Bleus qui partiront au combat face à l’Espagne pour une place en finale 💙
🔜 21h00 sur M6 et beIN SPORTS 1 📺 pic.twitter.com/DEapv1aiuk
🚨 OFICIAL | Nuestro once ante Francia.
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 14, 2026
¡Queremos estar en la final! #VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/HG73ITkT4M
stick95 said:
In DFW for a business meeting and my boss just decided that we are going and got tickets. On our way to the stadium now.
Martin Cash said:
Do we root for the Western Hemisphere?
stick95 said:
In DFW for a business meeting and my boss just decided that we are going and got tickets. On our way to the stadium now.
YokelRidesAgain said:
The World Cup is reaching for reasons to have a moment of silence at this point.
YouBet said:
This is where I lament my absolute jealousy of France's kit. My God it's incredible (minus the gay collar) and is what ours should be.
Peter Piper said:
Barcola with the rare ability to avoid the tackle and stay on his feet. 99% of the players would've taken a dive on that play.
zgolfz85 said:YouBet said:
This is where I lament my absolute jealousy of France's kit. My God it's incredible (minus the gay collar) and is what ours should be.
France always has the best kits, and I like an occasional collar in soccer
YouBet said:zgolfz85 said:YouBet said:
This is where I lament my absolute jealousy of France's kit. My God it's incredible (minus the gay collar) and is what ours should be.
France always has the best kits, and I like an occasional collar in soccer
I just don't like this collar. It's pretty horrendous.
