Countdown to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has begun. With just over seven months until the tournament begins, the hosts will have plenty of time to scout their opponents. This will be the first winter World Cup, avoiding the summer Gulf heat. It also marks the first time that an Arab country will host the tournament. The host nation has already had a lot of controversy since winning the bid. It’s also the smallest country to host the tournament.
Qatar will open the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador. Their group stage begins on November 21. Group B will include the United States, England and Iran. The winner will qualify for the knockout stage. The loser will go home. A play-off for third place will also be played. On 17 December, the winner of that match will advance to the final.
The Netherlands, Spain and France are the other teams from Europe in Qatar’s 2022 World Cup group. Their groups are finely balanced. Belgium and Argentina are also in the same group. However, Italy is not playing in Qatar this year. Its recent results have been disappointing. The defending champions will travel to Qatar without Ngolo Kante and Diego Jota. The nationalized Qataris will bolster the team, but they may not be enough to survive the group stage.
Ecuador has been playing in South America’s third force role since 2010. Its young and talented squad should bring some hope to the country. Uruguay also carries some of its best talent into Qatar. Their great generation includes Jose Maria Gimenez, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. They have reached the semifinals at least once in the last 12 years. The hosts will have to work hard to qualify.
Group G has some of the strongest teams in this year’s tournament. The United States qualified without a loss to Mexico. They also drew with Jamaica and lost to Panama. They may face Brazil in the round of 16. The US is a stern and technical team that has reached the finals in each of the last three World Cups.
The Netherlands have a good record in World Cups, and are a solid contender for the tournament. The team reached the semifinals in 2010 and the final in 2014. They will likely rely on a strong core of players to get through. Denmark’s team is strong, but has not reached the knockout stages. The country has played in the last two World Cups and has been impressive. They will likely aim to qualify for the knockout round in 2022.
The United States have a chance to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. They qualified in the second pot of the ConcACAF qualifying group. The team has a good group of players, and their coach has been beaten by Portugal. They may have a tough time in Qatar, but they can do well.
Denmark has had a decent qualifying campaign. They have a strong goalkeeper, and their attacking talent is at Champions League level. They also have Christian Eriksen, who scored in his team’s victory over the Netherlands last week.
