A record set in four straight matches
Spain, France, England and Argentina have made it to the World Cup semi-finals, and all four were among the top four teams in Fifa's men's rankings at the start of the tournament. According to the Guardian Football, this marks the first time in history that the four semi-finalists were all drawn from the top four of Fifa's men's rankings. The rankings were updated after every match, and while the order changed during the competition, the makeup of the top four remained the same as it was at the start, especially into the knockout phase.
Spain's route to the semi-finals included wins over fifth-ranked Portugal and ninth-ranked Belgium. France, meanwhile, defeated seventh-seeded Morocco. England's most difficult knockout match was against 14th-ranked Mexico, while Argentina faced 19th-ranked Switzerland, which they overcame in their toughest challenge of the tournament.
A history of oddities and surprises
In the past, the men’s World Cup semi-finals rarely featured more than two teams from the top four of the starting rankings. The Fifa rankings have covered only nine World Cup tournaments, and in the first eight, the pattern was different. Take the 1998 competition, for example—France began the tournament ranked 18th, and the Netherlands 25th, yet both teams ended up in the semi-finals. These discrepancies highlight the limitations of the early ranking systems.
The lowest combined Fifa ranking for a World Cup semi-final lineup was recorded in 2014, with a total of 25. That year, the matchups were Brazil (3) vs Germany (2) and Netherlands (15) vs Argentina (5). In 2002, the highest combined ranking of 75 was noted, a year full of surprises. Only Brazil from the top four made it past the group stage. The 2002 semi-finalists were Germany (11th), South Korea (40th), Brazil (2nd), and Turkey (22nd).
Women’s World Cup sees different trends
Fifa did not introduce rankings for the women's game until after the 1999 World Cup, meaning they only apply to the last five tournaments. These competitions have generally seen stronger-ranked teams reaching the later stages. The weakest semi-final lineup, in terms of rankings, was recorded in 2023, with a combined ranking of 23. Spain (6th), Sweden (3rd), Australia (10th), and England (4th) made up the 2023 semi-finalists.
In 2015, three of the top four teams reached the women’s World Cup semi-finals. The matchups that year were the U.S. (2nd), Germany (1st), Japan (4th), and England (6th), giving a combined ranking of 13. Only France (3rd) and Sweden (5th) were left out of the top six, making it a unique and historically low-ranking semi-final set in women’s competition.
Fifa's men's rankings, which only date back to 1993, have shaped the outcomes of recent tournaments. In 2006, the semi-finals included a clash between two teams from outside the top 10: Germany (19th) and Italy (13th), alongside Portugal (7th) and France (8th). The 2006 World Cup also saw only one of the top four teams reach the semi-finals, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the competition over the years.
The 2002 World Cup was the only tournament so far where none of the top four teams made it to the semi-finals. At the time, the top four were Brazil, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Mexico. This outcome proved how much the tournament can shift the balance of global recognition, especially for teams with high rankings but poor tournament performances.
Looking at the history of Fifa rankings across World Cup competitions, both men's and women's, it's clear that the top teams often dominate the later stages. However, there are always surprises. The 2002 tournament, for instance, had an unexpected outcome, while the 2023 women's competition featured a semi-final lineup with the lowest combined ranking ever recorded in the women’s tournament. These moments help shape the evolving narrative of the World Cup and the way Fifa ranks its teams.
The men’s World Cup of 2014 showed how the top teams could still struggle when the rankings didn't fully reflect on-field performance. Brazil and Germany, both in the top four, dominated their respective matches, while the Netherlands and Argentina brought the top-four numbers into the semis. It was the lowest combined ranking yet in Fifa history and a significant marker in World Cup history.
Fifa's rankings, though not perfect, have played a role in shaping the direction of the World Cup over the years. As the system has evolved, it has brought more consistency to the early rounds and influenced the later matchups. Whether it's the men's or women's game, the rankings remain a key part of the global football narrative and a source of interesting historical data.