Key Takeaway
The expanded World Cup allowed FIFA to introduce a new seeding system that placed the world's top teams in opposite corners of the knockout bracket. Now, the semifinals are both heavyweight matchups.
Published July 14, 2026 · Category: News
Overview
The expanded World Cup allowed FIFA to introduce a new seeding system that placed the world's top teams in opposite corners of the knockout bracket. Now, the semifinals are both heavyweight matchups.
Details
(Image credit: Florencia Tan Jun, Molly Darlington, Richard Pelham, David Ramos)
Source
Originally published at www.npr.org.
Related Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The star-studded World Cup semifinals kick off with France vs. Spain" about?+
The expanded World Cup allowed FIFA to introduce a new seeding system that placed the world's top teams in opposite corners of the knockout bracket. Now, the semifinals are both heavyweight matchups.
Who reported this story?+
This story was reported by NPR News.