The 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar is only months away. Fans all over the world are eagerly waiting for the highly anticipated quadrennial event. This iteration of the tournament is particularly more interesting. For the first time, a Middle Eastern country is hosting the event. This year the tournament will kick off in November. Qatar will utilize eight stadiums spanning five cities to host the World Cup.
On April 1, the draw was publicly announced, and groups have been revealed already. Teams for the previously empty three spots are also settled. So let us take a look at the teams that are partaking in the 2022 iteration of the most awaited football World Cup.
Team list of the 2022 World Cup
Since 1998, this will be the last World Cup tournament of 32 teams. In future iterations, FIFA decided to extend the number of teams to 48. This year Qatar is automatically elected for the group stage as the host nation. 31 other countries from six associations under FIFA will join Qatar.
- Asia (AFC): 5 Countries
- Africa (CAF): 5 Countries
- North, Central America, and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 4 Countries
- Europe (UEFA): 13 Countries
- South America (CONMEBOL): 4 Countries
- Oceania (OFC): 0 Country
- Host: 1 Country
Three vacant spots were decided in June
Two intercontinental play-off matches were the deciding factor for two spots. In the first game, Australia and Peru faced each other. Australia won in a penalty-kick shootout on June 13. The second selection match was Costa Rica vs. New Zealand. Costa Rica beat New Zealand 1-0. The final match was from the European World Cup. From there, Wales got the place as Ukraine requested for postponement due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
World Cup Group Stage Draw
The groups for the upcoming FIFA World Cup group stage are listed below:
- Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
- Group B: England, IRAN, USA, Wales
- Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
- Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
- Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
- Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
- Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland. Cameroon
- Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
FIFA World Cup 2022 start date
Opening Match: Monday, November 21, 2022
Final Match: Sunday, December 18, 2022
On 21 November 2022, Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 will begin with a grand opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium. The stadium packed with 60,000 guests will kick off the most awaited tournament in sports history.
Always keep an eye on our website to keep yourself updated on the latest news about the upcoming event.
