1998 FIFA World Cup seeding

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For the seeding of qualified teams at the 1998 FIFA World Cup , FIFA used the FIFA World Rankings in combination with performances of national teams in the three previous FIFA World Cups. [1]

For the FIFA World Ranking part, points were allocated on the basis of 32 points for the highest ranked team of the 32 qualified teams at the end of each preceding three years, down to 1 point for the lowest ranked team.

For the World Cup performance part, points were allocated as follows:

The seedings table calculated a sum of points scored by each national team from the 1986 FIFA World Cup, 1990 FIFA World Cup and the 1994 FIFA World Cup averaged in a 1:2:3 ratio respectively, that finally got multiplied by a 1.2 weighting factor to account for 60% of the total sum of points. The seedings table also calculated a sum of points scored by each national team from the FIFA World Rankings at the three given dates December 1995, December 1996 and November 1997, averaged in a 1:1:1 ratio and finally multiplied by a 0.8 weighting factor to account for 40% of the total sum of points. The total points were finally the sum of these two calculated totals. [2]

SeedCountry1. FIFA World Cup Finals2. FIFA World Rankings Total points
(1+2)
A:
Mexico 1986
(16.7%)
B:
Italy 1990
(33.3%)
C:
USA 1994
(50%)
Weighted
avg. points
1.2*(1/6A+1/3B+1/2C)
A:
Dec 1995 [3]
(33.3%)
B:
Dec 1996 [4]
(33.3%)
C:
Nov 1997 [5]
(33.3%)
Weighted
avg. points
0.8*(1/3A+1/3B+1/3C)
RkPt.RkPt.RkPt.RkPt.RkPt.RkPt.
1Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 23113252835.8023123123124.8060.60
2Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 52892413234.4013213213225.6060.00
3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 122133023134.803301025102421.0755.87
4Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 726102382529.4042982733022.9352.33
5Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 132231102332.607272216191716.0048.60
6Flag of Romania.svg  Romania -0122162724.601123162052919.2043.80
7Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands -0151872622.80628926122220.2743.07
8Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 627-0132017.4012221124112318.4035.80
9Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 1518-042921.0017201521241314.4035.40
10Flag of England.svg  England 825429-016.602118122362818.4035.00
11Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 4291122112227.8024164264146.9334.73
12Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia -0141919913.00152142992520.0033.00
13Flag of France.svg  France 330-0-06.0082633072722.1328.13
14Flag of the United States.svg  United States -0238141914.6019191819291113.0727.67
15Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 924-0-04.8092562882621.0725.87
16Flag of Norway.svg  Norway -0-01795.4010241422142117.8723.27
17Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1122-02389.2038102712162011.2020.40
18Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon -072622815.2037115635124.2719.47
19Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria -0-092414.4027146327114.5318.93
20Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia -0-0122112.605453783485.6018.20
21Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006).svg  FR Yugoslavia -0528-011.2068255422155.6016.80
22Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svg  South Korea 20922820910.404664453195.3315.73
23Flag of Scotland (traditional).svg  Scotland 199209-05.40261529113668.5313.93
24Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan -0-0-00.0031132117181812.8012.80
25Flag of Tunisia (1959-1999).svg  Tunisia -0-0-00.0022172315231412.2712.27
26Flag of Chile.svg  Chile -0-0-00.0036122613171911.7311.73
27Flag of Austria.svg  Austria -0189-03.6039934926128.0011.60
28Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia -0-0-00.00417241421169.879.87
29Flag of Paraguay (1990-2013).svg  Paraguay 1320-0-04.0064338730105.339.33
30Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa -0-0-00.0040819183578.808.80
31Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica -0-0-00.0056432103955.075.07
32Flag of Iran.svg  Iran -0-0-00.0010818315031.331.33
SeedCountryRkPt.RkPt.RkPt.Weighted
avg. points
1.2*(1/6A+1/3B+1/2C)
RkPt.RkPt.RkPt.Weighted
avg. points
0.8*(1/3A+1/3B+1/3C)
Total points
(1+2)
A:
Mexico 1986
(16.7%)
B:
Italy 1990
(33.3%)
C:
USA 1994
(50%)
A:
Dec 1995
(33.3%)
B:
Dec 1996
(33.3%)
C:
Nov 1997
(33.3%)
1. FIFA World Cup Finals2. FIFA World Rankings

France were seeded as hosts, Brazil as defending champions. The other seeds were: Germany, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Romania, and the Netherlands.

Broadcasting

The 1998 FIFA World Cup seeding are broadcast live on TF1, France Television and Canal+ in France.

References

  1. 2002 World Cup seeding document
  2. "England miss out on World Cup seedings". BBC News. 3 December 1997. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  3. "FIFA World Ranking as of Dec 1995" . Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  4. "FIFA World Ranking as of Dec 1996" . Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  5. "FIFA World Ranking as of Nov 1997" . Retrieved 16 May 2025.