England are in an unseeded pot of European countries but could still be moved ahead of Friday’s draw for the 2014 Fifa World Cup.
Roy Hodgson’s side are included in Pot 4, along with eight other European teams, for the draw in Brazil. Beforehand, one of those teams will be drawn into Pot 2, and will face one of the four South American seeds. No more than two European teams, or one from South America, can be drawn in the same group for next year’s competition. If England are moved to Pot 2, which contains seven African and South American teams, they would be guaranteed to face either Brazil, Argentina, Colombia or Uruguay, who will form a temporary “Pot X”. The three South American teams in “Pot X” not drawn against the
European team in Pot 2 will go back into the main draw. Should England remain in Pot 4, they could face any of the top eight seeds from Pot 1. Hodgson has said that England’s base is more important than who they will face in the World Cup. Pot 1 (top eight seeds): Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay Pot 2: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chile, Ecuador Pot 3: Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras Pot 4: Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, England, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, France – BBC Sport
