Since April 1st 2022, we’ve known exactly how the World Cup 2022 groups would be. Like previous World Cup tournaments, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will have eight different groups. The highest-ranked teams in the world have all been split into different groups, as per the structure of the FIFA World Cup draw. And in total, 32 teams are involved in the group stages of the World Cup. As a reminder, these games will commence on November 20th, 2022.
The last of the group games will be played on December 2nd. So this is the date when we will know which teams have made it to the knockout stages. But since we are focusing on the World Cup 2022 groups here, let’s leave the knockout stages for another day.
Specifics on World Cup 2022 Groups
As mentioned above, there are 8 groups at the World Cup. Each group has 4 teams, and they will all play each other one time. A loss leads to zero points, a draw leads to one point, and a win grants three points. So with the structure and point system now taken care of, let us discuss each of the groups in detail.
Group A
As is traditional for the World Cup, the host nation of Qatar was placed into Group A. They are accompanied by Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands. In addition to this, Qatar will kick things off in the World Cup. Their first game against Ecuador is scheduled for 7 PM on November 20th, and the other group match will be played at the same time.
Group B
Moving to Group B now, this is where you will find England, Iran, the USA, and Wales. England is the favourite to progress through this group. And this is the case because England has a FIFA world ranking of 5. However, teams like the USA and Wales will not be a pushover, not by any stretch of the imagination. As for the schedule, Group B matches begin on November 21st at 4 PM, with England playing Iran.
Group C
Of the eight World Cup groups in 2022, Group C is actually one of the strongest. This group consists of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland. All of these teams are incredibly dangerous on their day, especially Argentina, Mexico, and Poland. The first matches from this group will begin the day after the initial rounds from Group B. So this means that November 22nd is when it all kicks off for Group C participants.
Group D
Group D is the group where the reigning champions, France can be seen. France is one of the heavy favourites to win the tournament in Qatar, as expected. And the other teams involved in this group include our Socceroos, Tunisia, and Denmark. To be honest, France shouldn’t have too much trouble in making it through the group, but the second position is definitely up for grabs. These matches start on November 23rd with Denmark playing Tunisia at 4 PM.
Group E
Group E is another interesting group, and it promises plenty of classic matches. Spain is the top-ranked team in this group, and they are joined by Japan, Germany, as well as Costa Rica. The first game for Group E is set for November 23rd, with Japan vs Germany scheduled for 4 PM. And given the seedings, Spain is predicted to win this group. But the match involving Spain vs Germany could be pretty influential in the overall group standings.
Group F
The Group F matches actually kick off before the Group E matches, which is somewhat of a surprise. Also on November 23rd, but at 1 PM, Morocco will play Croatia in the Group F opener. The other two teams involved in this group are Belgium and Canada, with Belgium being the favoured team to advance. However, second place will be contested fiercely, especially by Croatia.
Group G
Now we come to the group that has the most successful World Cup nation of all time – Brazil. These guys were pulled out of the hat first, of course. And the other teams that have been allocated to Group G are Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon. Really, Brazil should win this group comfortably since they are the top-ranked team in the world. But to watch these matches unfold, you’ll have to wait until November 24th at 1 PM. This is when Switzerland will play Cameroon.
Group H
The last of the World Cup groups 2022 is Group H, and this is where mighty Portugal can be found. Many are eager to watch the Portugal games in this group since it will likely be the last World Cup that Cristiano Ronaldo will ever play. But besides the appeal of Portugal, the other teams involved here are Uruguay, South Korea, and Ghana. Really, the two teams that should advance here are Portugal and Uruguay. However, we won’t know how this group will play out until things begin on November 24th at 4 PM.
World Cup 2022 Groups FAQs
Which of the World Cup 2022 groups is the toughest?
We would say that Group E is the toughest of all the groups. And that’s because you’ve got two teams that have won the World Cup – Spain and Germany. In fact, Germany has won the tournament four times!
Will there be any changes to these groups before November?
No. The groups that you see here are fixed, and there will be no changes in the meantime. The scheduled start times for each group are also fixed. And you will be able to watch all of the games on mainstream TV.
Does it matter which teams finish where in their respective groups?
Yes, it does. The winners of the groups will face the runners-up from the corresponding groups. So in theory, by winning the group a team will face an easier opponent in the first stage of the knockouts.
