This is why I think it is actually the Americans that have done something right here when it comes to sports tournaments. In most tournaments it is almost impossible for the number 1, 2, 3, and 4 teams to play one another until the semi-finals and thus that situation is eliminated. Could it be that there are some politics involved in the ranking system and thus the ranking couldn't be established before the tournament?
No. The rankings got messed up when other teams performed well and you ended up with the top 4 teams in 2 of the 4 pools. The quarter finals were genuine semi finals and the semi finals were sub standard due to teams who were not good enough being involved. Risk when you announce the pools 2 years before the tournament starts.