2002 FIFA World Cup seeding The seedings table uses these points obtained from the 1990 FIFA World Cup, 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1998 FIFA World Cup averaged in a 1:2:3 ratio respectively, added to the average amount of points derived from the World Rankings at three given dates (at ratio 1:1:1), December 1999, December 2000, and November 2001. All totals are rounded. South Korea and Japan were seeded as hosts, France as defending champions. The other seeds were: Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany and Spain. 2002 FIFA World Cup seeding To calculate the seeding for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, FIFA used the FIFA
FIFA World Cup hosts Cup had more than one host, being split between Japan and South Korea. Upon the selection of Canada–Mexico–United States bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament will be the first to be hosted by more than two countries. Mexico becomes the first country to host three men's World Cups and its Estadio Azteca, should it be selected, will become the first stadium to stage three World Cup tournaments. Except 1934, host nations are granted an automatic spot in the World Cup group stages. The first host ever to fail to advance past the first round was South Africa