[Football] Qatar World Cup 2022

[Change at Barnham]

It's less than two years to the start (21 Nov '22) of the finals tournament in Qatar.
Monday (5pm) sees the draw for European countries for the qualifying groups.

What will it involve?
Fifty-five nations being drawn into 10 groups to compete for the 13 European spots available in Qatar.

What is the format?
There are six pots: 10 nations in each of pots 1-5 and five in pot 6. They will be drawn into 10 groups: five groups of five (A-E) and five of six (F to J). Teams will play each other home and away between March and November next year. The 10 group winners qualify for Qatar, 10 runners-up go into the play-offs.

Who is in which pot?
As determined by the latest world rankings, the top sides are in pot 1, the next best 10 in pot 2, and so on. The five minnows are in pot 6.

Pot 1 Belgium, France, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands
Pot 2 Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia, Romania
Pot 3 Russia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Czech Republic, Norway, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Finland
Pot 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Israel, Belarus, Georgia, Luxembourg
Pot 5 Armenia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Andorra
Pot 6 Malta, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, San Marino

 

[blue-shifted]

It's less than two years to the start (21 Nov '22) of the finals tournament in Qatar.
Monday (5pm) sees the draw for European countries for the qualifying groups.

What will it involve?
Fifty-five nations being drawn into 10 groups to compete for the 13 European spots available in Qatar.

What is the format?
There are six pots: 10 nations in each of pots 1-5 and five in pot 6. They will be drawn into 10 groups: five groups of five (A-E) and five of six (F to J). Teams will play each other home and away between March and November next year. The 10 group winners qualify for Qatar, 10 runners-up go into the play-offs.

Who is in which pot?
As determined by the latest world rankings, the top sides are in pot 1, the next best 10 in pot 2, and so on. The five minnows are in pot 6.

Pot 1 Belgium, France, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands
Pot 2 Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia, Romania
Pot 3 Russia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Czech Republic, Norway, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Finland
Pot 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Israel, Belarus, Georgia, Luxembourg
Pot 5 Armenia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Andorra
Pot 6 Malta, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, San Marino

Is that on TV?

 

[Seagulls over Essex]

Is that on TV?

Live stream on BBC Sport website and app.

 

[Milano]

All that’s wrong with football = a World Cup in Qatar.

 

[Swansman]

Not going to watch it. I dont care about Qatar being shady, all countries are, but putting it in a country with zero football culture... cant bother with it. Perhaps if I get paid, it wouldnt surprise me if they hire fans to create some kind of "atmosphere".

 

[Randy McNob]

Not going to watch it. I dont care about Qatar being shady, all countries are, but putting it in a country with zero football culture... cant bother with it. Perhaps if I get paid, it wouldnt surprise me if they hire fans to create some kind of "atmosphere".

To be fair I think they will make a big effort and their country will embrace it. Brazil has a huge football culture yet they made it clear they didn't want it

 

[GT49er]

If I could have the three wishes often referred to in various childrens' stories, I think one of my three would be for the FA to tell FIFA, f*** it we want no part in this. We ain't coming. Let us know when and where the 2026 World Cup is, and we'll consider it.

Of course, all those freebies in 5 star hotels - and, if necessary, brown envelopes - will swing it for the corrupt guys. South Sudan, Northern Nigeria or Colombia, anyone?

 

[hart's shirt]

It's worth remembering that Qatar are the current Asian Cup holders having beaten South Korea with Son in the QF and Japan in the Final last year.

With the fantastic Aspire Academy that has developed sportsmen like High Jump World Champion Barshim, they've made significant progress on the field.

Off the field, naturally the question of whether a country that's never previously qualified for the WC Finals should be awarded the competition still stands.

The fiasco in attendances, or lack of, for the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha still lingers very uncomfortably in the memory.

With all other bidders (USA, Japan and South Korea) having hosted the tournament, IMHO it should've been awarded to Australia.

As someone who's lived in the Middle East for 16 years, barring home success I can't see much of a sporting legacy being left.

 

[hart's shirt]

Let us know when and where the 2026 World Cup is, and we'll consider it.

That'll be shared between Canada, Mexico and the United States.

16 groups of 3 teams with the top 2 going through.

 

[GT49er]

That'll be shared between Canada, Mexico and the United States.

16 groups of 3 teams with the top 2 going through.

OK, let's plug soccerball in the States again, and Mexico have only had it twice, so it's only fair to let them have it again. Canada - well, we've heard they've got some ace ice hockey stadiums, so, hey, let's roll with that.


Sorry - where did you say you left the brown envelope?




Seriously, I reckon if five or six of the big football powers in Europe got together to put on a better tournament, told FIFA they weren't interested, and invited countries from Asia, Africa and South America to take part, we could just leave the FIFA farce sitting in the States and contemplating its navel. And stuff FIFA.

 

[macbeth]

Never looked forward to a World Cup less in my life

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

World Cup? Sack FIFA sack southgate and start over.

 

[amexer]

Like all big tournaments no interest until quarters. All set up for main teams to get to quarters so why bother having Guernsey,Israel etc. Klopp goes on about too much football but it is not domestic leagues that are the problem. European competitions main problem with so so many pointless early games

 

[Yes Chef]

Going to give this a swerve and save my money for Germany 2024, and North America 2026

 

[maffew]

Is it POTG?

 

[blue-shifted]

Huge and understandable antipathy to this world cup.

Though I'm cynical.

By the time we're a few weeks away and we're in the build up to this world cup, a huge number of the people claiming they are going to boycott it are going to peel off. By the time it starts, there will be virtually nothing other than the odd grumble. The pubs will be packed, the viewing figures high and the country will basically stop whilst an England game is on. All that corruption and death will be a distant memory.

The problem is that the world cup is just too good a product to ignore. The best teams in the world fighting it out. Every match a piece of history.

I Include myself among the number of weak minded fools who will get swept along with it despite vociferous objection to the hosts. I had the same feelings about Russia. I'm just being honest with myself that i'll watch nearly every match

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Huge and understandable antipathy to this world cup.

Though I'm cynical.

By the time we're a few weeks away and we're in the build up to this world cup, a huge number of the people claiming they are going to boycott it are going to peel off. By the time it starts, there will be virtually nothing other than the odd grumble. The pubs will be packed, the viewing figures high and the country will basically stop whilst an England game is on. All that corruption and death will be a distant memory.

The problem is that the world cup is just too good a product to ignore. The best teams in the world fighting it out. Every match a piece of history.

I Include myself among the number of weak minded fools who will get swept along with it despite vociferous objection to the hosts. I had the same feelings about Russia. I'm just being honest with myself that i'll watch nearly every match

Which is exactly why the big teams should be boycotting it.

 

[blue-shifted]

Which is exactly why the big teams should be boycotting it.

Financially ruinous for associations already teetering under COVID losses.

They would have to give up ticketing and TV rights to the 10 qualifiers, plus share of tv and prize money from the actual tournament itself.

Even if they did, the players would likely rebel and form a team, like the cricket teams who toured South Africa in the 80s. They only get the chance once every 4 years. They know it's the world cup that defines a footballers legacy.

There is a highly outside chance of all, (and it have to be all) the major nations deciding to run a major tournament outside FIFA. But I don't see their incentive to do so, they have no experience of running tournament, have nowhere to host a tournament, aren't bearing the risk of attendance being impossible due to COVD and in any case are getting well paid by FIFA to turn up at this world cup.

You and me don't like it. I'll guess we'll both be watching avidly though. Just as when Pickford saved that penalty against Colombia I wasn't thinking of the poor f****** in that airline that got shot down over Ukraine or Putin's actions in Crimea, probably I'll find a way to rationalise it to myself again.

 

[crodonilson]

It's less than two years to the start (21 Nov '22) of the finals tournament in Qatar.
Monday (5pm) sees the draw for European countries for the qualifying groups.

What will it involve?
Fifty-five nations being drawn into 10 groups to compete for the 13 European spots available in Qatar.

What is the format?
There are six pots: 10 nations in each of pots 1-5 and five in pot 6. They will be drawn into 10 groups: five groups of five (A-E) and five of six (F to J). Teams will play each other home and away between March and November next year. The 10 group winners qualify for Qatar, 10 runners-up go into the play-offs.

Who is in which pot?
As determined by the latest world rankings, the top sides are in pot 1, the next best 10 in pot 2, and so on. The five minnows are in pot 6.

Pot 1 Belgium, France, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands
Pot 2 Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia, Romania
Pot 3 Russia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Czech Republic, Norway, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Finland
Pot 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Israel, Belarus, Georgia, Luxembourg
Pot 5 Armenia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Andorra
Pot 6 Malta, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, San Marino

Fingers crossed for a kind draw for all the home nations. From an England perspective a 'group of death would be something like: Sweden, Russia, Israel, Kosovo.

Best possible draw is: Slovakia, Greece, Luxembourg, Andorra and San Marino.

 

[Eggman]

Tough group