2026 World Cup: The 8 countries France will avoid

In partnership with

Foot Africa

·20 novembre 2025

2026 World Cup: The 8 countries France will avoid

Equipe de France

While waiting for the World Cup 2026 draw on December 5, France can already be sure it will dodge eight major footballing nations.

OneFootball Video

France currently sits third in the latest FIFA rankings—a crucial standing, as this ranking will determine the seedings for the World Cup 2026 draw scheduled for December 5. As a result, Les Bleus will be seeded and will not face any of the other eleven top-seeded teams in the group stage—a significant advantage considering the elite lineup.

Tirage au sort le 5 décembre...⌛️ #FIFAWorldCup
– mercoledì 19 novembre 2025

In addition to the three host nations (Canada, United States, Mexico), France cannot be drawn against Spain, Argentina, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, or Germany. These teams all finished in the top nine of the November FIFA ranking, thus securing their seeded status. France could, however, face the likes of Croatia, Morocco, or Italy if those teams qualify directly from the opening round.