Germany get WC seeding boost in FIFA rankings

Spain still topped the FIFA men's world rankings published Friday that show Germany back on track to be a top-seeded team in the World Cup finals tournament draw on Dec. 5.

Germany rose two places to No. 10 after back-to-back wins in a World Cup qualifying group against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. Germany had lost their opening qualifier last month against Slovakia.

Croatia, runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and a semifinalist in the 2022 edition, fell to No. 11 after drawing one of their games at Czechia last week.

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The 12 top-seeded nations in the 48-team draw will be the three co-hosts -- the United States, Canada and Mexico -- plus the nine highest-ranked direct qualifiers in the updated FIFA rankings for November.

Current No. 9 Italy are likely heading to European playoffs in March as runners-up in a qualifying group led by Norway, meaning the No. 10-ranked team should be assured of avoiding other top-seeded nations in the draw for the June 11-July 19 tournament.

Spain lead from World Cup title holders Argentina, followed by No. 3 France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil and Belgium in eighth.

The World Cup draw seedings will follow the FIFA rankings through pots 2 and 3, with pot 4 including the six lowest-ranked direct qualifiers plus six placeholders awaiting the winners of playoffs in March.

Four European teams will advance through playoffs, and two more places are on offer in a global bracket of six non-European teams that will include Bolivia and New Caledonia.

The October rankings confirmed Friday the fixtures for an African playoff bracket next month to decide which one team advances to intercontinental play. The pairings are Nigeria vs. Gabon and Cameroon vs. Congo.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.