World Cup Group B : Qatar World Cup 2022 Draw, Fixtures & Predictions

The first winter world cup in history is getting closer with every passing day. Hosted in Qatar, the tournament starts on Sunday, November 20. The hosts play Ecuador in the opening match as part of Group A. On the other hand, Euro Cup finalists in England start their adventure the next day.

The Three Lions were drawn into world cup Group B together with Iran, the USA, and Wales. Below, we will share a few sentences about the draw, schedule, predictions, and all other details connected to Group B. Here's a recap of the different World Cup 2022 groups

2022 World Cup Group B Game Predictions

Here are some of the most interesting predictions for this fixture in Group B. Remember to check the odds before placing your bet!

Iran vs USA – Christian Pulisic to score @ 9/5 (2.80)

Christian Pulisic, or Captain America as the US fans jokingly call him, is without a doubt the most important player in coach Gregg Berhalter’s squad. Christian Pulisic is the most expensive and famous player on the roster. He has been playing in the English Premier League for Chelsea for quite some time now and he did succeed in making a name for himself. He’s having a decent season with his club as he buried the ball in the opposition’s net on a few occasions this season.

There was no one else on the US roster above Christian Pulisic during the World Cup qualifiers. The talented winger scored five goals for his country and also provided his teammates with four assists. Gregg Berhalter’s project is one in progress and we have yet to see this US team flourish. The big goal for Gregg Berhalter is an unforgettable World Cup in the US in a couple of years but this doesn’t mean that Christian Pulisic is going to wait that long to score his next goal for his country.

Wales vs England – Bukayo Saka to score @ 9/4 (3.25)

After an outstanding performance in the match against Iran in the first World Cup fixture, Bukayo Saka was somewhat unnoticeable in the US game a few days ago. We were hoping for a solid performance from Arsenal’s star yet he barely got to see much of the ball in that clash. The football experts are adamant that he’ll be the top player for coach Gareth Southgate in this last World Cup game.

This is because England theoretically can be knocked out of the World Cup should Wales get a big victory against them. One of the teams in the opposite game will qualify for the next round so Bukayo Saka simply has to bring his A-game for England today as Harry Kane has been a disappointment so far. Bukayo Saka scored twice against Iran in the 6:2 victory last week and hopefully, we will get to see some more of that quick-feet magic of his.

He may be only 21 years old but he already has a ton of experience under his belt. He was one of the key players for Gareth Southgate at the Euro Championship and he’s one of the main players now. He’s also a prime candidate for the MVP award in Arsenal this season if he continues displaying such world-class talents.

World cup Group B predictions

Bookmakers agree that world cup Group B might be one of the most contested world cup groups in the tournament. Even though England are strong favourites to finish first, that second place is anyone's guess. Here we will list the most popular predictions and the odds that come with them.

Group qualification

This is a simple bet and it consists of two options: yes or no. Yes means that a team will qualify for the Round of 16 and no means that the nation will finish its tournament in the group stages. When it comes to the world cup Group B, England is expected to go through to the next phase. The odds for that outcome are not very competitive as they stand at 1/20. However, the other three nations have close to an equal chance to qualify for the Round of 16. The odds for Iran going through are 4/1 (5.0) while USA and Wales are at 1/1 (2.0) and 11/10 (2.10) odds, respectively.

Group betting

The situation is similar when it comes to group betting as well. England is among the favourites and the odds for them finishing first in the world cup Group B are 1/3 (1.33). The USA is expected to finish second and the odds for them surprising England and grabbing the first spot are 11/2 (6.5). Wales are in the same boat as the odds of them finishing 1st are 6/1 (7.0). As the lowest ranked team, based on FIFA rankings, Iran is the outsider in the group. The odds for them winning Group B are 16/1 (17.0).

World cup Group B draw

Back in June, Wales defeated Ukraine in the European playoff to book the last spot for the 2022 world cup. Their victory put them in world cup Group B alongside USA, Iran, and England. The draw was made back in April with the playoff spot being drawn into Group B. During that draw, England was seeded from Pot 1 and was drawn as the first team in the group. The USA was next and they came from Pot 2. Drawing a team from Pot 3 became a problem because Iran was initially drawn into Group A. However, since that group already featured an Asian confederation member, the “Lions of Persia” was moved to Group B. As we already know, Wales became the last team to join this group.

It's important to note that some of the nations in the world cup Group B have met in tournaments before. Wales is the only team that hasn't featured against the other sides in their group. This is to be expected since their only world cup appearance was back in 1958. As for the others, the USA met both England and Iran in previous editions of the tournament. Two teams advance from the group and the two nations that manage to go through will feature against the top sides in Group A in the Round of 16.

Group B schedule

The four nations in the group play a round-robin format. This means that each nation will play one match against the other three in the world cup Group B. The top two sides will progress into the next stage of the tournament. If teams are tied on points, tie-breakers come into play. The first one is goal difference and then if two sides are still on even ground, goals scored is the next tiebreaker.

World cup Group B review

England

The Three Lions come to this tournament on the back of a devastating defeat in the European Cup final against Italy. Southgate's men were favourites to lift the trophy but they failed where it mattered most. In the last world cup, they got eliminated in the semifinals which, at the moment, was a huge success. Nevertheless, it looks like the nation is losing patience with the squad. It's been years since the last time the England squad is capable of going all the way.

The last time this happened was in the Gerard/Lampard era and we all remember that generation and how they disappointed fans over and over again. So, to avoid a “deja vu” scenario, this squad led by Harry Kane needs to be able to fight for the world cup title come November. The way they looked during the qualification process once again proved that England is ready for the big stage. The loss to Italy in the European Cup final was an important lesson and gave certain players the experience they surely lacked. With young stars like Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham, England is among the favourites to “bring football home”.

• FIFA rankings: Number 5
• Titles: 1 (1966)
• Appearances (last): 15 (Russia 2018)
• Qualification record: Group winners (8 wins; 2 draws; 0 losses)
• Coach: Gareth Southgate
• Star players: Harry Kane, Bakayo Saka, Declan Rice, Raheem Sterling

USA

The next nation in the world cup Group B is the USA. They can consider themselves lucky to feature in the tournament thanks to sub-par performance in qualifying. The USA edged Costa Rica on goal difference to book a spot for Qatar 2022. The nation has enough young talent to stand toe-to-toe with the best teams but a lack of experience might see them exit the tournament during the first stage. Coach Gregg Berhalter will be hoping that Christian Pulisic brings his world-class performances to Qatar. Offensively, USA has nothing to worry about since they scored 21 goals during qualifications. However, their defence has to improve if they hope to match England and Iran during the group stage.

• FIFA rankings: Number 14
• Titles: /
• Appearances (last): 10 (Brazil 2014)
• Qualification record: Third place (7 wins; 4 draws; 3 losses)
• Coach: Gregg Berhalter
• Star players: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna

Iran

In recent years, Iran have transformed into the best Asian nation. Qualifying for their 3rd consecutive World Cup is enough proof that the “Persian Lions” shouldn't be underestimated. They lost only once during qualifications edging out South Korea who are also part of this tournament. Being drawn against England and USA might have been bad luck for Iran but they are the world cup Group B team that's expected to surprise everyone. With players like Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun, Iran could target a 2nd place finish, taking them to the Round of 16.

• FIFA rankings: Number 23
• Titles: /
• Appearances (last): 6 (Russia 2018)
• Qualification record: Group winners (8 wins: 1 draw; 1 loss)
• Coach: Dragan Skocic
• Star players: Sardar Azmoun, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mehdi Taremi

Wales

As winners in the European playoff, the last spot in the world cup Group B was reserved for Wales. As a nation, Wales has been a part of the final stages of this tournament only once before. That's why their victory over Ukraine in the playoffs was of historic value. The last time they were part of a world cup was back in 1958 and back then, Wales reached the quarterfinals. If recent tournaments hold merit, the Welsh squad has been punching above their weight for quite some time. In the European Cup in 2016, led by Gareth Bale, they got to the semifinals. Six years later, the squad has more experience and they might be a tough nut to crack.

• FIFA rankings: Number 19
• Titles: /
• Appearances (last): 1 (Sweden 1958)
• Qualification record: Won European Cup playoff
• Coach: Robert Page
• Star players: Gareth Bale, Daniel James, Kieffer Moore

FAQ

Which nations are part of the world cup Group B?

England, USA, Iran, and Wales are the four teams drawn into Group B.

Who are the favourites in Group B?

The Three Lions are clear favourites to win the group and reach the final stages of the tournament. Among the other three nations in the group, the USA is expected to finish second. However, both Wales and Iran have a legitimate shot at that spot as well.

Which nations are world cup favourites?

World cup Group B favourites England are among the TOP 5 nations expected to reach the final. Brazil and France are currently the favourites to lift the trophy but nations like Argentina and Spain are also staking their claim as possible candidates for world cup glory.