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ENGLAND AND WALES will both be among the top seeds for the 2018 World Cup qualifying competition after Fifa yesterday confirmed the procedure for the draw later this month.
Wales’s highest-ever Fifa position sees Chris Coleman’s side ranked 10th in the world and England ninth, meaning both will be kept apart from each other and from the other top-ranked European sides in the draw.
It also means neither England nor Wales will be in the same group as Germany, Holland, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Romania or Croatia.
There is a chance however that either team could be drawn with Italy, who are only ranked 17th in the world currently.
The preliminary draw for the 2018 World Cup, which is being hosted by Russia, takes place in St Petersburg two weeks tomorrow. Fifa has confirmed the 52 European countries will be split into seven groups of six teams and two groups of five teams.
England, along with other big names from Europe, will be in a group of six teams at the request of Uefa — probably in order to maximise television income. Hosts Russia will qualify automatically.
