01 April2022
Balanced groups drawn for World Cup Qatar 2022
Following a long road of qualifying joy and heartache, the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar has finally snapped into focus after the Final Draw on friday April 1st at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
Hosts Qatar will open the event against Ecuador at Doha Al Bayt Stadium on 21 November in Group A, while defending champions France were drawn into a tough Group D along with Denmark, Tunisia and IC Playoff 1. According to the April FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the toughest group is Group C which has Argentina, Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
THE GROUPS
Group A | Qatar - Netherlands - Sénégal - Ecuador
Group B | England - USA - Iran - European Playoff
Group C | Argentina - Mexico - Poland - Saudi Arabia
Group D | France - Denmark - Tunisia - IC Playoff 1
Group E | Spain - Germany - Japan - IC Playoff 2
Group F | Belgium - Croatia - Maroc - Canada
Group G | Brazil - Switzerland - Serbia - Cameroun
Group H | Portugal - Uruguay - South Korea - Ghana
The Final Draw ceremony took place inside the walls of the the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center with Jermaine Davis hosting and an array of high-profile names on hand to assist with the draw. Legends representing the eight previous World Cup-winning nations and the hosts – Brazil's Cafu, Australia’s Tim Cahill, Serbia’s Bora Milutinović, Iran’s Ali Daei, Algeria’s Rabah Madjer, Germany’s Lothar Matthäus, Nigeria’s Jay Jay Okocha, Qatar’s Abdel Ahmed Malalla and USA's Carli Lloyd – joined on stage.
In the audience watching were dignitaries such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Tamin Ben Hamad Al Thani, Didier Deschamps and many more.
Thirty one days after the opening contest, the new champion will lift the Trophy after the Final in Doha. Lusail will be the final stadium to launch ahead of the Football World Cup.
