Argentina, the defending World Cup champions and current No. 1-ranked team on the planet, have waltzed into the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup without playing a single opponent ranked in FIFA’s top 10. In 96 years of World Cup history, that has never happened before.
The path reads like a warm-up schedule: Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland. Switzerland, ranked No. 19, was the toughest test. For context, that’s like the top seed in March Madness reaching the Final Four having only faced 11-seeds or lower.
The easiest road ever, by the numbers
Argentina eliminated six teams on their way to the final four. Not one of those six is a former World Cup winner. Not one sits inside the top 10 of FIFA’s rankings.
The 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, expanded to 48 teams for the first time.
