Within the expanded 48-team tournament announced by FIFA in November 2025, a seeding system similar to tennis was implemented. Under this system, the four teams ranked highest were distributed into separate branches of the tournament bracket, guaranteeing they would not meet each other until the semi-finals.
Tournament Bracket Structure
The teams of Spain and Argentina, ranked first and second respectively, were placed in different halves of the draw. Similarly, France and England, seeded third and fourth, were grouped accordingly. FIFA explained this change as an effort to 'ensure competitive balance,' but critics argue it is rather a way to protect the most commercially attractive teams from early elimination.
Tournament Progression and Complaints
Since all four favorites advanced through the group stage, the quarter-final bracket looked as if it were designed by a TV channel executive who wanted to see specific matches: Spain versus Belgium, Argentina versus Switzerland, France versus Morocco, and England versus Norway. Assuming the favorites maintain their positions, the semi-finals promise clashes between Spain and France, and Argentina and England—two major matches that were initially protected by the seeding system.
A similar seeding model was also used in last summer's Club World Cup, which Chelsea won. FIFA's decision to apply this scheme to the World Cup was made long before the matches began, and the draw developed strictly according to the intended architecture.
Accusations of Unfairness
Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan, whose team was eliminated after losing to Argentina 3-2 in the Round of 16, where an Egyptian goal was disallowed and a penalty was disputed, noted this pattern from another perspective. After the match, Hassan stated: 'Why is there no fairness in sports? In football? I don't want to try to put it nicely into words. We were treated unfairly today. We suffered injustice.'
Hassan suggested that the motivation was related to commerce. He remarked: 'It might be a marketing issue; they might want to make the World Cup with past World Cup champions; they want Messi to exist [in the tournament].'
Complaint Regarding Refereeing
Egypt filed an official complaint with FIFA regarding the performance of French referee François Lattesse, demanding an investigation and his exclusion from the remainder of the tournament. Although the seeding rule was publicly announced, which makes it unfair to call it secret, transparency and equal playing conditions are different things. FIFA's 'competitive balance' system ensured exactly the four teams it was meant to protect.