The FIFA World Cup 2022 will begin on November 21 with a clash between hosts Qatar and Ecuador. Check highlights of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 here.
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Updated: 01 Apr 2022 11:25 pm
The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar finally took shape with the Finals Draw on Friday in Muscat. The glittering ceremony witnessed some of the greatest names in the game with FIFA president Gianni Infantino also using the opportunity to deliver a message of peace. Then the draw itself, with the likes of Cafu Lothar Matthaus, Ali Daei, Tim Cahill, Jay-Jay Okocha, etc. picking the balls. The confirmed 29 national football teams, and Scotland/Wales/Ukraine, UAE/Australia/Peru, Costa Rica/New Zealand, knew their respective groups. Catch highlights of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 here.
Groups A, B, E, F: Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan;
Groups C, D, G, H: Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Stadium 974 in Doha, Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
So, the so-called group of death is Group E. Spain, Germany, Japan and Costa Rica/New Zealand. And the easiest should be Group G, feat. Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon.
The #FIFAWorldCup groups are set š¤©
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2022
We can't wait! š#FinalDraw pic.twitter.com/uaDfdIvbaZ
So, here's how the groups look like:
Group B: England, Iran, USA, Scotland/Wales/Ukraine
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
The last to get picked are Canada. They are in Group F with Belgium, Morocco and Croatia. They get F2. So, their opener is against Belgium.
Saudi Arabia are next. They get Group C, along with Argentina, Mexico and Poland. Another intercontinental playoff winners (Costa Rica/New Zealand). They go to Group E, and join Spain, Germany and Japan. They will get E2. And the European playoff.
First of the placeholders. UAE/Australia/Peru, the winners of the intercontinental playoff join Group D. They will get D1. France, Denmark and Tunisia are already in the group. Next is Ecuador, and they are in Group A. And get A2. So, they will play the opening match of FIFA World Cup 2022 against hosts Qatar.
Morocco join Belgium and Croatia in Group F. They get F3. South Korea in Group H, along with Portugal and Uruguay. They are H4.
Serbia are next. And they jump to Group G as D, E and F already have two European teams already. They have Brazil and Switzerland for the company. G2 is their slot. Tunsia are in Group D, along with France and Denmark. E4 is their slot. Japan go to Group E. Spain and Germany are there already. Japan get E4.
Iran first. But they can’t go to Group A as Qatar are already there. So they go Group B, with England and USA. Iran are B2. Senegal are in Group A, with Qatar and Netherlands. They are A3. Poland are next. They get Group C, with Argentina and Mexico. They are C4.
Uruguay, the inaugural world champions, are in Group H with Portugal. They are H3. Switzerland are in Group G with Brazil. They are G3. That concludes the draw for Pot 3.
Denmark in Group D with France. They are D3. Now, Germany. They are in Group E, with Spain. They get E3. There's something going on with the number 3 lot. Croatia, the 2018 finalists, are in Group F, with Belgium. They are F4.
The Netherlands are in Group A, which has hosts Qatar. The Dutch get A4. United States are in Group B along with England. They are B3. Next is Mexico. They are in Group C, along with Argentina. They are C3.
Defending champions France are in Group D, Spain landed in Group E, 2018 third-place finishers Belgium are in Group F. Cafu his team Brazil. The five-time champions and the only team to play in all World Cups are in Group G. That leaves us with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. They will be in Group H.
Cafu with the first pick. It's hosts Qatar, and they go to they go into Group A in position A1. England second, and they go to Group B. Third is Argentina, and Lionel Messi & Co go to Group C.
As the legends have their say on the tournament, their experiences and future opportunities. Here's what at the pots look like:
Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal;
Pot 2: Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, United States, Croatia;
Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia;
Pot 4: Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Scotland/Ukraine/Wales, Australia/UAE/Peru, Costa Rica/New Zealand.
The trio welcomes the legends to pick the balls for the draw. And they are: Cafu (Brazil), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Adel Ahmed MalAllah (Qatar), Ali Daei (IR Iran), Tim Cahill (Australia), coach Bora Milutinovic (Serbia/Mexico/USA/Nigeria/China), Rabah Madjer (Algeria).
Now the real action starts. Reshmin Chowdhury and Idris Elba hand over to Carli Lloyd, Jermaine Jenas and Sam Johnson.
Now, the trophy is here. Didier Deschamps with the trophy, the Frence coach. He's one of three to win it as a player and coach..
A moment of silence to pay respect to those who have departed. A montage featuring Diego Maradon, Paolo Rossi, Gerd Muller, Gordon Banks, etc.
Now the turn to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to welcome everyone. Mostly in Arabic.
A rejoinder here. "Our world is aggressive, our world is divided," Infantino adds, asking everyone to engage in dialogue. An obvious reference to Russia and Ukraine.
Giovanni Infantino, the president of FIFA, says "it's now getting serious". And he welcomes everyone in Doha to a round of applause. He adds, this will be "the greatest World Cup ever".
Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha present the official FIFA World Cup 2022 soundtrack, 'Hayya Hayya'.
That was some #FinalDraw performance! š¤© pic.twitter.com/x6H98e5Muv
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2022
Now, everything 'verse', this verse, that verse. Tonight, it's Muscat verse. The show starts with a video presentation of an animated mascot. It follows with the welcome note from Egyptian actress Sherihan in Arabic, then Idris Elba and Reshmin Choudhary. The pair even revisit Alif Laila.
He's come from the mascot-verse full of energy and is ready to bring the joy of football to everyone!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2022
Introducing: La'eeb - the #FIFAWorldCup Qatar 2022 Official Mascot pic.twitter.com/RrEA6iS6t4
11 years ago, Qatar sensationally won the bidding to host the biggest single-sport tournament in the world. In a few minutes, the tournament will take a final shape. The guests are already at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
US legend Carli Lloyd and former England player Jermaine Jenas and British-Jamaican presenter Samantha Johnson are the hosts.
Some big names will not be in Qatar. But the biggest of the lot is Mohamed Salah. Egypt lost to Sadio Mane's Senegal in the African qualifiers. Erling Haaland will also miss the World Cup with Norway failing to make the cut. Yes, Zlatan Ibrahimovic too with Sweden losing to Robert Lewandowski's Poland in another playoff.
Then there are Italian talents. The European champions and one of the most successful teams in FIFA World Cup lost to North Macedonia in a play-off, thus missing the gala for the second successive event.
Rainbow flags could be taken from fans at the World Cup in Qatar to protect them from being attacked for promoting gay rights, a senior leader overseeing security for the tournament, reports The Associated Press. Major General Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari insisted that LGBTQ couples would be welcomed and accepted in Qatar despite same-sex relations remaining criminalised in the conservative Gulf nation.
“If he (a fan) raised the rainbow flag and I took it from him, it's not because I really want to, really, take it, to really insult him, but to protect him,” Al Ansari told the AP. “Because if it's not me, somebody else around him might attack (him) ... I cannot guarantee the behavior of the whole people. And I will tell him: Please, no need to really raise that flag at this point.'”
Football Supporters Europe and Pride In Football have released a joint statement criticising FIFA and hosts Qatar.
š£ “We cannot, in good faith, tell our members, LGBT+ people, or allies that this is a #WorldCup for all.”
— FSE - Football Supporters Europe (@FansEurope) April 1, 2022
š³ļøš Fans’ groups from Europe & North America are disappointed at the lack of engagement from FIFA & Qatar on the safety of LGBT+ fans at the 2022 World Cup.
ā¤µļø Read more. pic.twitter.com/pSGbUeU4w0
The day however began with a protest outside FIFA headquarters in Zurich. He used balls filled with sand to protest against the suffering of migrant workers in Qatar who have worked on the infrastructure related to the World Cup.
Also, Norwegian Football Federation president, Lise Klaveness, has asked Qatar to decriminalised homosexuality. The former Norway international is a gay herself. According to reports, FIFA had worked to keep the Norwegian's speech off the main Congress agenda, and then gave the floor to rebuttals from a Latin American official and the head of Qatar's organising committee.
The 32 spots at the World Cup have been split into four pots based on FIFA's most recent world rankings. But Qatar, the hosts, have been placed in Pot 1, and have been given A1. Meanwhile, the latest FIFA world rankings have been announced. Brazil returned to the No.1 spot for the first time in five years.
Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.
Pot 2: Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, United States, Croatia.
Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia.
Pot 4: Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Scotland/Ukraine/Wales, Australia/UAE/Peru, Costa Rica/New Zealand.
The name of the ball is, 'Al Rihla', which means 'the journey' in Arabic. And the title of the song is, 'Hayya Hayya' which can be translated as 'better together'. There will be more songs though.
For the record, this is the 14th successive ball that Adidas has created for the FIFA World Cup.
Al Rihla, the #OfficialMatchBall of the 2022 #FIFAWorldCup, means ‘the journey’
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 31, 2022
This is the journey to Qatar, starting now#Qatar2022 | @adidasFootball pic.twitter.com/w8Jwg6lFCS
Some big names, featuring former players and managers, will conduct the draw. Cafu (Brazil), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Tim Cahill (Australia), Ali Daei (Iran), etc. will be in the house, besides other dignitaries.
29 teams have officially qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. They are (earliest first): Qatar, Germany, Denmark, Brazil, France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands, Argentina, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Canada, Ghana, Senegal, Portugal, Poland, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, United States, and Mexico.
But the full lineup will not be known until at least June 14, when the intercontinental playoff round ends in Qatar.
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