The countdown for November’s big kickoff begins.
The group draw for the 2022 World Cup was conducted in Doha, Qatar on Friday. Heavyweight nations Spain and Germany were pitted together in Group E, while the United States and Canada should travel to the Middle East with some optimism given the overall quality in their respective quartets.
Here are the groups in full:
Group A
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | AFC |
| 2 | Ecuador | CONMEBOL |
| 3 | Senegal | CAF |
| 4 | Netherlands | UEFA |
Group B
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | UEFA |
| 2 | Iran | AFC |
| 3 | United States | CONCACAF |
| 4 | Wales/Ukraine/Scotland* | UEFA |
Group C
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | CONMEBOL |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | AFC |
| 3 | Mexico | CONCACAF |
| 4 | Poland | UEFA |
Group D
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | UEFA |
| 2 | Peru/Australia/United Arab Emirates* | CONMEBOL/AFC |
| 3 | Denmark | UEFA |
| 4 | Tunisia | CAF |
Group E
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | UEFA |
| 2 | Costa Rica/New Zealand* | CONCACAF/OFC |
| 3 | Germany | UEFA |
| 4 | Japan | AFC |
Group F
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | UEFA |
| 2 | Canada | CONCACAF |
| 3 | Morocco | CAF |
| 4 | Croatia | UEFA |
Group G
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | CONMEBOL |
| 2 | Serbia | UEFA |
| 3 | Switzerland | UEFA |
| 4 | Cameroon | CAF |
Group H
| Slot | Nation | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | UEFA |
| 2 | Ghana | CAF |
| 3 | Uruguay | CONMEBOL |
| 4 | South Korea | AFC |
* World Cup berth to be decided in June.
The top two nations in each group will advance to the knockout stages of the competition. The match schedule will be finalized later today.
Why isn’t the entire field confirmed?
Three World Cup teams have yet to be determined: one from Europe and two from the intercontinental playoff paths.
- Intercontinental playoff: Costa Rica vs. New Zealand
- Intercontinental playoff: Peru vs. Australia or the United Arab Emirates
- UEFA playoff: Wales vs. Ukraine or Scotland
Ukraine’s one-off semifinal against Scotland was postponed after the country was invaded by Russia. That will be played this summer – the exact date is yet to be announced – and the winner will meet Wales for a spot in Qatar.
The intercontinental playoffs were postponed as part of the widespread scheduling delays created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games are slated for June 13 and 14 in Qatar, at which point the entire 32-team World Cup field should be finalized.
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