Top four ranked teams make semi-finals for first time

For the first time in World Cup history, the top four teams in the FIFA world rankings have all reached the semi-finals. The four remaining teams are Spain (ranked 1st), Argentina (2nd), France (3rd), and England (4th). Their progress was aided by a change FIFA made for the 2026 tournament, placing them in separate quadrants of the draw to prevent them from meeting before the semi-finals, a move the organization described as ensuring "competitive balance." FIFA implemented this change due to the expanded 48-team format, which added an extra knockout round and made early meetings between group winners not only possible but almost certain. The governing body wanted to prevent a high-profile match in the last 16 that would guarantee the elimination of a top-four team. The semi-final matchups are now set: France will face Spain, and England will play Argentina.